A Rant (It's Just Another Day).

You know, I'm not saying this to be pro or anti Affordable Care Act (you realize that's the same things as Obamacare, right?), but you should all remember that easily half the bad shit you hear about the ACA is bullshit. Some is simple ignorance and misunderstanding, but plenty of the info is out and out lies. Personally, I think the entire medical system in this country needs to be torn down and rebuilt from the ground up. Our problems are many and they are deep. BUT, if nothing else is going to happen, then everyone needs access to health care, and most people cannot see a doctor without insurance. ACA is definitely something, and if all the energy that was used to try to stop the ACA was used to try to build something useful whether with the ACA or as a replacement, we could do great things. Never forget this whole mess started with a congress with many members that openly stated their mission to stop Obama's success at anything. This is something that should be unacceptable to anyone participating in a democracy anywhere. An elected official that has decided to make it their mission to stop another elected official from accomplishing anything should be run out of the country, or at the very least out of office. We are not talking about politicians that oppose this or that from another elected official, we are talking about politicians that openly oppose anything from an elected official, regardless of the affect on the public. How has our system gotten so bad? We are up shit creek without a boat and we're all to drunk to swim. Corruption and fraud are so rampant but we all turn a blind eye to it in the never ending fight of "our side" verses "their side". I'm not a Democrat, or an Obama supporter, not in the least, but I'm not going to blindly oppose his very existence and everything he says and does just out of spite. I oppose plenty that has happened on his watch. I disagree with plenty of what his administration has done. I will not, however, allow party politics to persuade me to blindly oppose anything that comes from one particular politician or party. Fuck that.

25 More Albums.

In 2009 I participated in a Facebook thing where you list 25 albums that are important to you. I turned it to this post in 2013. This is a sequel of sorts. 25 more albums that affected my life.

1. Willie Nelson - Teatro. There are so many Willie albums that could be on this list, but Teatro is such a great album. From the Django intro to the overall atmospheric feel of the album, listening to this one always makes me play guitar better.

2. Misfits - Legacy of Brutality. The entire original discography is essential, and all equally good, but Legacy is the first Misfits album of mine and still contains some of my favorite Misfits songs. I learned to play guitar to this album. To this day the first thing I do when I learn a new instrument is play a Misfits song or two on it.

3. Frank Lynch - Static Aether. This might seem a little self serving, but it's true, this album is very important to me. It was the first time I released MY music. I'm still proud of the work I did with Fled Records, but releasing my own material was something I'd been meaning to do since high school.

4. Various Artists - The Year In Seven Inches. Both this and Flex Your Head had a big impact on me, but since I already went into Flex Your Head here, I'll discuss the other great early Dischord comp this time around. The bands on here inspired me to write some of my first songs. I still love the short, no nonsense hardcore these bands played. Just direct, simple, fast, heavy music.

5. I Hate Myself - 10 Songs. I'm not sure how I discovered this one, but it fast became a favorite of mine after I found it. The CD version is actually 11 songs, as it includes a comp track that wasn't on the LP version. This band satires a genre while exemplifying it. To A Husband At War is one of my favorite songs.

6. Buckner and Garcia - Pac Man Fever. Eight songs about eight great arcade games, made at the height of the arcade craze. I know it sounds a little dated, but I love it. We listen to this almost every time we go to an arcade. This was out of print for a long time, and when they re-released it on CD they had to re-record it for the release, as they could not obtain rights to the original recordings. This brings up two things I don't like about big record labels. First, it's their music, yet the label isn't allowing them to put it out there. Second, not only is the label preventing the artist control over the recordings, they are just sitting on them. If they don't want to release the music, they should allow someone else to. No one should hide art.

7. The Booked - Feel The Pride. We were going to work with The Booked with Fled Records before we ran out of money. I absolutely love the sound on this album. The songs are heavy and catchy, just the way I like my oi. The split 12" we were working on would have been great.

8. Chvrches - The Bones of What You Believe. This one kinda surprised me. With Youtube on my tv through my PS3, browsing and enjoying random videos is easier than ever. I clicked on a video of Chvrches live on some show, and although the music was very different than what I would normally pick up on, it stuck. Enough stuck with me to get me to track down more of their music, and they quickly became favorites of mine. They not only inspire me to explore more and more music, but they inspire me to make music.

9. Youth Code - Youth Code. Another Youtube find. I had yet to get really into industrial music. Maybe a little here and there. I cannot get enough Youth Code though. They got me to start my own hard industrial project, though time will tell if I stick with it or not.

10. John Coltrane - Soultrane. Technically not my first Coltrane album, as I've had and loved Miles Davis' Kind of Blue for years. This is the first proper Coltrane album for me though, and it holds a special place. His music is so great, and this is the one that started my collection. I love driving around northern Michigan listening to Coltrane.

11. Paramore - Paramore. I've been into Paramore for a long time, and I really enjoy their earlier music, but this album is something else. It's their first since the original band splintered, and while it sucks that half the founding members left, it's proof that the remaining members can endure. What I like most is that this is one of those albums that is more a complete work than a collection of songs.

12. Black Flag - What The. This didn't make the list because it's my favorite Black Flag album, rather it's on here because of what it represents. The return of the almighty, always controversial, one and only, Black Flag. Greg Ginn is one of my favorite guitarists. I've gone on and on about the Black Flag/FLAG controversy, and that's not what I'm doing here. Before the reformation (or reformations, depending on your point of view) Black Flag was one of my all time favorites. Because of this reformation, I got to see the legends in action. Black Flag live was one of the best shows I've ever seen, which is saying something.

13. Guy Clark - Old Number 1. While an older album, I only got into it recently. This is definitely a songwriters album. The kind of album that makes me wanna go lock the door and write song after song. I love any album that makes me NEED to write.

14. John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band. I admit that it took me a long time to jump on the Beatles bandwagon. It's not that I didn't used to like the Beatles (and related material), it's just that one, I was a bit put off my the pedestaling done to them, and two, I hadn't got around to them yet. Now that I've opened myself up to their catalog, I am enjoying it. Besides Beatles material, I've gotten into John Lennon's post-Beatles work. This album in particular is so good.

15. Bad Brains - The Omega Sessions. Perhaps I should have put the Roir tape, or I Against I, or one of the live ones, but I chose this EP for the list because of one song. Stay Close To Me sounds like something I've imagined but never found, until I heard this EP. There is just something about the way this song sounds.

16. Rancid - And Out Come The Wolves. I really thought this was on my first list. This is one of those rare albums that seem to never get old. I had a cassette copy in my car that went everywhere with me. I love all their albums, but Out Come The Wolves will always hold a special place with me.

17. Frank Sinatra - Nothing but The Best. Sinatra is another one I should have been really into for a long time, but I've only recently got really into. He is a classic for a reason. Although he didn't write (he has a total of seven songwriting credits, all shared credits), he is an inspiration as a performer. I listen to his singing like I listen to a guitarist, if that makes sense. I wouldn't normally write about or even collect a "best of" style compilation, but this is a great start to any Sinatra collection.

18. Dead River Drag - Dead River Drag. Rollinghead and Dave Grant in particular were big parts of the 90s Kalamazoo scene and a big influence on me when I was getting into playing music. After Rollinghead broke up, Dave went on to form the short lived Dead River Drag with a few ex-bandmates. I didn't get a chance to see them live or pick up their one release when they were around. I did pick a copy in a used bin quite recently, and I'm happy to take another trip back to some of my early influences.

19. Django Reinhardt - Any. I know it's a cop out not naming an album. I did this last time with Motorhead, and I'm doing it this time with Django. Easily the best guitarist I've heard. There is just no one who plays quite like him. He does stuff with two fingers I won't ever accomplish with four. His body of work amazes and captivates me.

20. Chuck Higgins - Pachuko Hop. I picked this up in a little record store on the Kalamazoo mall based solely on the album title. Mano Negra covered Joe King Carrasco's Patchuko Hop on their Puta's Fever album. I hadn't got into Carrasco yet, and when I saw this album I couldn't remember who Mano Negra covered. I bought this album just in case. The album I got is actually a singles compilation, not the album by the same name. Either one is great. I love the sound of these songs, and I love the sound of Chuck's saxophone. Chuck Higgins and John Zorn both make be want a band with a saxophone.

21. Kris Kristofferson - The Silver Tongued Devil and I. Another songwriter's album. I just love the songwriting on this one. Kristofferson is one of my favorite songwriters. He writes the kind of songs that I wish I could. I love his singing/playing style and I love the overall sound of the album, but the songwriting is my main draw.

22. Willie Nelson - Heroes. I know I've already done a Willie album, but his body of work is such an inspiration to me that I cannot stop at one. Heroes is not only a great album, it's one of those albums that works great as a whole piece, not just a collection of songs. While not an out and out concept album like Willie has done so well several times in the past, the album nonetheless has an overall theme that just works. This quickly became one of my all time favorite albums, and it always makes me want to play guitar and write songs.

23. The English Concert/Trevor Pinnock - Vivaldi Conceri L'Amoroso. Vivaldi is one of my favorite classical composers. While his "Four Seasons" is quite well known, I really like his concertos. This album in particular really sounds great. While I've liked classical music forever, I've never got really into it. Now that I am starting to really explore the genre I am finding it fresh, exciting, and full of possibility. It's like this huge world I am lost in. It's such a deep and varied genre, and there is a lot to explore. It really brings me back to a time when more genres felt large and unexplored.

24. The Animals - The Animals. I discovered the Animals in my parents record collection. Their mixture of covers and originals and their way of making the covers as much their own as their originals continues to influence me. While I could have picked any Animals or Eric Burdon and the Animals album, I picked this one cause it was not only among my first, I always wanted to pay homage to the packaging on this one, especially the "Life-lines of the Animals" on the back of the sleeve. Maybe if I put out an album with a full band sometime I will.

25. Sonic Youth - Sonic Youth. I used to hate self-titled albums. Not the albums themselves, but the lack of an album name. It always seemed like a wasted opportunity to me. I've included five self-titled albums in this list. It doesn't really bother me anymore. Sometimes I even kinda like it. Sometimes it feels right. I'll probably do it myself before too much longer. Anyways Sonic Youth was a big influence on my noisy approach to electric guitar, as well as in influence in my noise recordings.

Well, there you have it. 25 more albums that have been an influence. Some have been in my life for a long time. Some I should have brought up last go-round. Some are just really new and sticking with me right now. I'll have to do this again in a few years.

Rich Verses Poor (Poverty is a Cyclical Beast)

Dave Ramsey angered some people when he shared this list of the habits of the rich and poor. Tim Corley is responsible for the researching and compiling of this list. Ben Irwin wrote this alternative list for his blog in response to the Ramsey piece. Tim Corley's under-researched list, that Ramsey shares and defends, would be better put as a list of what rich people do BECAUSE THEY CAN. The assumed shortcomings of the poor in this list are actually by and large symptoms of poverty. Yes, poor people could want to read more, or want to gamble less, but, Corley's article has more to do with the symptoms of poverty than the underlying cause.

Some points about Tim Corley's article:
1. Rich people eat better, eat less junk food. Of course, they can afford better food. That one's a no brainer. 
3. The rich can afford gym memberships, and aren't as often to be stuck in situations that do not allow them to exercise, like working 80+ hours a week. 
7. Wealthy parents have time and opportunity to make their kids volunteer. 
10. Wealthy are more likely to get a job that demands that much career based reading. 
15. This is entirely dependent on the job. If you have to go to work at three a.m., then that means you wake up at midnight. Not very practical. Also, as Irwin writes, poor people are more likely to have multiple jobs, not allowing for a full nights sleep between jobs. His article is more accurate, more in touch with the reality of poverty.

The less a person is paid, the harder they tend to work. I spent time working with people making 9 bucks an hour, less than half of what I used to make. These people worked very hard, a hell of a lot harder than by buddies at my former job (including me at the time). The worst working, laziest, dumbest people I've ever had the misprivilege to work with made much more than me. Poverty level jobs are more likely to be inhibiting to advancing your situation. Take my former employer, for example. Your schedule was up in the air, you only knew it for sure a week ahead of time, and sometimes not even then. You were regularly worked 60-80 hours a week and your shift could change on two days notice. You usually didn't know what you were working Saturday and Sunday until that Friday. With a very strict attendance policy you couldn't call in very often when work changed your plans. You can't plan college or other job training around that. You can't plan anything around a job that gives you zero planned free time. Many people also work multiple jobs just to make a living wage, which doesn't leave time for stuff like college.

Poverty can be all consuming. It's hard to plan out your career and your life goals when you have to make three hundred dollars a week cover four hundred dollars a week in bills, and then feed your family on top of that. You can work hard, full time and then some, but still fall short. When you can't afford the gas to drive to something even if it's free, you are much more likely to spend your free time in front of the t.v. You are much more likely to despair if your situation looks bleak. Poverty is a cyclical beast. Yes, it's true that some people make it from poverty, but they are the exceptions. Most get caught in the cycle, for many reasons continuing the often generational poverty.

Maybe it's hard for those with opportunity to understand. The fact is, the current system isn't one that works if everyone pulls themselves up from the gutter and becomes a successful business owner. the system relies on poverty, it relies on the poor. Whole industries are structured around an underpaid workforce and a devalued consumer. Corporations have many lower level employees yet few upper level employees. If everyone was on top, who would be doing the work? Success does come from hard work, but it also takes luck and circumstance. No one makes it without all three.
  

Abstract Music (Pure Art).

Noise music, experimental, avant-garde, whatever you want to call it, my first experience with it had to be seeing the Boredoms open for Nirvana. I wasn't quite ready yet, but I started listening to the Boredoms a lot within a year from seeing them. Then there was Sonic Youth, and Thurston Moore hosting MTV's 120 Minutes. By the time I was introduced to John Zorn, noise music as an art form had become a part of my life that wouldn't ever go away.
Evolving seemingly independently, I got into playing noise music shortly after I started playing guitar. Maybe because I didn't know how to play properly, maybe because I was too stubborn to learn, but it did seem what I was naturally drawn to. I made many recordings and planned releases, most of which have still never seen the light of day. I was even in a few noise bands, but they were mostly one offs, getting together for one show, or even just one practice.
I was musically adventurous, and I frequented record shops. I found many great and diverse titles that I still love, such as The Miracle of Levitation comp, Azonic Halo, Lull, Yamantaka Eye's violent Hanatarash, and Lee Ranaldo's  Scriptures of the Golden Eternity. I was in a record shop in Washington D.C. when I came across John Zorn's Naked City project for the first time. That one really blew me away.
I think, when it comes down to it, noise music is just abstract art. I find my self drawn to abstract art and extremes of art in all forms of art I enjoy. The abstract and the extreme aren't the only things I like, but I certainly have a major affinity for it.
Abstract art is often brushed aside by people as talentless noise that anyone could do. It is true technical skill isn't a factor in abstract forms of art, but that is where the real beauty in the whole thing lay. The way I see it, you have two major factors in a work of art. The artists technical skill, and the artist natural artistry. It's that natural artistry that music cannot do without. That hard to pinpoint "something" that is essential. Technical skill can cover up for that missing "something" to a point. If you have no artistic heart whatsoever, but you have a great talent at, let's say, guitar, you can still make music that people will enjoy. There is nothing wrong with working really hard to get good at playing an instrument.
When you take away the technical skill, however, all that is left is the pure artistic "something". Anyone can bang some instruments together, or splash paint on a canvas randomly. A true artist can make exceptional art without that technical skill. Noise music is that pure boiled down something, with no technical skill hiding it. It's raw, it's extreme, it's real. There is nothing left for the artist to hide behind.
That's not to say experimental musicians don't necessarily have technical talent. Take John Zorn, who makes music many people would call pure noise. He has a technical proficiency in his compositions that would rival the masters, but his chosen field is one where that technicality takes a back-burner.
Honestly, I listen to a very wide range of music, but I have a special place in my heart for "noise". Take away all the polish and technique and training, and you have something as close to pure art as you will ever hear.

Pray To End Prayer.

I saw a sign at a church today that said "Pray to end abortion" and I thought, why abortion? If you are going to use prayer to stop something why not "pray to end war" or "pray to end starvation"? I know the people involved view abortion in a way I never will, but do they just not comprehend the atrocities that go on around the world. If you really believe in the power of mass prayer, why not start a campaign to "pray to end rape", "pray to end child abuse" "pray to end violence"? I know it is a dangerous step to take to start invalidating a cause by bringing up a supposedly more righteous cause. That line of reasoning only ends in supporting nothing because you reason out helping anyone. There is always someone more needy, someone suffering more, someone who needs more help. Besides this, is there rational evidence for the power of prayer? People on both sides of issues find themselves praying for their side, yet when one side wins, does that mean a god choose a side? Does that mean someone prayed harder, or prayed better?
As an atheist, it can be hard for me to take the power of prayer seriously. I prefer the power of actions. If these people truly want to put an end to abortion, then there are real life things they should be doing. For instance, removing the reasons why people choose abortion in the first place. We as a society constantly tell young women that getting pregnant too young will ruin their chance at a good life. Some even go farther, claiming that all unwed mothers or single mothers are doing wrong by their children. Adoption is a fine solution for some, but there are too many unwanted children and not enough eligible homes.
So let's start here. Stop telling young women that having a child at sixteen will ruin their lives. Support them. I am not saying having a baby alone at sixteen is ideal, but it doesn't have to cut off your options. If women in less than ideal circumstances are supported by a society that values and supports unique families, then pregnant women may feel they have options. We as a society place value on the traditional two parent home at the expense of alternatives, but these alternatives are sometimes the only alternative to abortion. Recognize that single mothers, or single fathers, can have a wonderful life. Separated parents can do a good job too. A supportive family can make all the difference, as can supportive friends. Perhaps guaranteeing women paid time off after the birth of their child (like is common in other countries) could help. Financial support (yes, welfare) for single parents that can't find a good work/parent balance can also make a difference.
How about opponents of abortion boycott all companies with anti-family employee practices. Parents should not have to choose between working seven twelve hour days or working nothing. Parents need time in their work life to raise their kids, and when employers overwork their employees to protect the companies bottom line, it's the families of those employees that suffer.
Let's not forget the women who had no choice in the pregnancy. Pray to end rape. Then actively work to end rape. Teach your children to respect women. Teach them that it is never okay, ever, under any circumstances, to rape. Take a zero tolerance approach to rape culture. Never, ever tell and women anywhere ever that it is in any way her fault. Never side with the rapists. If a women didn't have a choice to get pregnant, give them a choice to end it.
Access to birth control and quality sex education, regardless of their impact on your faith. What is more important, ending abortion or ending premarital sex? Choose one. Recognize the fact that people will have sex. There is no stopping that. But, if provided with access to education and contraception, you can reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies.
And what about gay marriage? Wouldn't more committed, stable, married couples increase the adoption rate? Especially when those couples have to do something outside "normal" procreation to have children. Legalize marriage between pairs of consenting adults, and streamline the adoption process. It may go against the religious and societal teachings of many who hold anti-abortion views, but marriage equality will go a lot farther towards ending abortion. If you want women to choose adoption over abortion, then help ensure those kids will be adopted. Maybe even adopt one yourself.
The bottom line is this, women have abortions because their other options seem imposing. A hardline approach against abortion does little to persuade women to choose alternatives. Support these women and their children. Encourage parents to sacrifice to support their pregnant children. End the stigma of teenage parenthood. End the stigma of unmarried pregnancy. Support programs that help lower income single parents. Eliminated the need for abortion and the problem will take care if itself.
Then let's all focus on the lives after they are born. Let's give those unaborted babies a fighting chance at a future. Let's raise them in a world of peace, understanding and tolerance. End war. End violence against women. End starvation and inequality. Let's work towards a world worth bringing children into.

Triond And Internet Publishing (The Cheap Way Is The Only Way).

Quite a while ago I decided to try to publish some articles on the internet for money. There are many places to do this, and they operate in few different ways. The one I chose is a site called Triond. I write an article on any topic I want, put it into their editor where I have the option of adding pictures and video, then submit. They in turn publish the article on one of many websites they have. These websites are generally set up for different topics, travel, computers, music, and so on. They naturally have the websites filled with ads, and I get a cut of the ad revenue that my content generates for them. Another way they pay is through referrals. Basically, if someone else signs up to Triond through my link, I get a small cut of what they make. Besides articles, Triond also lets you post photos and videos.
I got into Triond as an outlet for writing mainly. A lot of these would have made great blog posts for this blog or Olaf Jansen, but others are best placed on the kind of websites Triond runs. I've written about music (of course) but also current events, video games, veganism, as well as articles about my other websites. Those articles double as free advertising.
I've made very little on Triond so far, but the money is secondary. I enjoy writing, I enjoy getting published outside of the blog world, and I enjoy writing articles on topics I normally wouldn't write about.

Some of my assorted Triond articles:

The Expanding Range of Music Formats: Why People are Paying More for Less
This was my first article. I wrote it about the different formats music is available on, leading up to my thoughts on what people miss out on in a digital only world.

Understanding The Pre-Damaged Output of Black Flag
Damaged was Black Flag's first proper full length release, although they had been around four years, had three singers, toured a lot and put out quite a bit of material. This article sets out to explain their pre-Damaged discography.

Mano Negra Puta's Fever
This is a review of the album Puta's Fever by Mano Negra. One of my all time favorite albums. This is currently my most viewed article.

Rasta Themed Cell Phone Cases and Covers
This one is basically an ad for a Zazzle store of mine. 

Lesser Know Animal Ingredients
A short article on animal ingredients. Vegan's learn fast that a lot of things are not vegan even though they appear to be. This can be enlightening for non-vegans, too.

Nintendo's Home Consoles 
A history of Nintendo's consoles. This was fun to write.

My complete Triond output and be found here.

My Many Star Wars Trilogies.

The first time I went to the theater it was Star Wars. I was around a year or two old and I think I slept through some of it, but I do have a few vague memories of the theater that day. I started collecting the toys around the same time, although it isn't usually called collecting when you're that young.
The first Star Wars movie I had on home video was A New Hope recorded from television. Everyone had collections of movies taped from t.v. back then. That is something we have now replaced with burned DVDs. I probably had Empire and Jedi recorded from t.v. at some point too. Eventually, though, I graduated to buying official copies of the trilogy. I have owned different editions so many times I really should be entitled to a free copy of the next release.
I'd like to recall how many trilogy editions I've owned. I might miss some, but here we go. Dates refer to releases, not to purchases. I've tried to list them in the order I obtained them.

0.5. First VHS release, 1982/1984/1986.
I Wouldn't swear to owning any of these, but I think I had some but not all of the three movies from the original VHS releases. We Probably found one in a garage sale or something like that. I am pretty sure I didn't own real copies of all three until the first trilogy pack I bought.



1. First trilogy box set, 1990, VHS.
I think this was the first time the three movies were sold together in one box set. Three VHS tapes in a fancy slipcase. I think this one had a two piece slipcase. This was exciting because I finally had all three movies.



2. THX box set, 1995, VHS.
These were supposed to be somewhat remastered, with improved picture and sound. The old trilogy was probably wearing out by then anyway.



3. Special Letterbox Collectors Edition, 1992, VHS.
This was the definitive set for me for a while. First time having them without the disgusting pan & scan. This came in a fancy big box with a hologram cover, a collectors book, and a bonus tape. I gave this away when I moved out of 303.



4. Widescreen Special Edition set, 2000, VHS.
This may have been the last VHS copy of the trilogy I owned. This was the second release of the special edition, and the first not to call it a special edition.



5. First DVD release, 2004, DVD.
The first time the trilogy was released on DVD. This is the special editions, with some alterations. This also came with a bonus disc with a two and a half hour documentary.



6. Original trilogy box set, 2008, DVD.
This six disc set features both the theatrical and special editions of all three movies. This is currently the definitive DVD release of the movies due to the inclusion of the theatrical release.



7. Complete Saga, 2011, Blu Ray.
This nine disc set is by far the best release of the trilogy, save for the exclusion of the theatrical. The movies all look wonderful in HD, and the three discs worth of bonus material are a nice touch. It took me quite a while to pick this up, but I recently found it used for ten dollars. Ten. Dollars.



So, I guess that's seven and a half times that I've bought the trilogy, unless I missed one. I currently still have the blu ray set and the last DVD box set. I'm keeping the DVDs just for the theatrical versions. I really had a good reason to upgrade every time. From the first time I could own them all together, to updated VHS quality, to letterbox, which was a big deal before everything came out with full and widescreen options, to DVD, to Blu Ray.

Until next time, may the force... nah.

My Unemployed Life.

I was removed from my factory job of almost seven years recently, ending an almost continual fifteen year run of shitty factory work. I never really liked any job I had, although I would spend short stints tolerating them. Roughly half this time was spent in plastics factories, and with the other half spent working for a horrible multinational corporation. While the work kept money in my pockets and my bills paid, most of the time, I paid a heavy price. I missed countless time spent with family and friends. Social relationships have been strained. Opportunities have been missed. I've also done permanent harm to my body. This kind of work is fine for some people, some people even thrive on it. I, however, have never managed to really make it work for me.
On to my unemployment, or alternate employment. Either between this job and the next, or instead of the next, I am doing quite a few things to try to pay bills. All of them are things I am interested in doing, including this blog. Doing things I want to do regardless of the income generated feels great. None of these things make me feel like I am selling my time or sacrificing part of my life the way that factory work always has.

Blogging.
I have several  blogs. These potentially generate income in a few ways. One is paid advertisements. If you see an ad in the side bar or as a banner, I am potentially paid for the ad placement. Another income source is affiliate links. This is where I include a link to something I am talking about or reviewing, and if someone clicks on the link and purchases something, I get a kickback. Blogging can also be used to promote some of my other endeavors. I really love to write, be it rambling on about some political subject or reviewing some music, or whatever else, and  blogging gives me an excuse to write a lot.

Zazzle.
Zazzle is a online print-on-demand merchandise store. Here a person can design a shirt, sticker, mouse pad, or over a hundred other items for free, then post them for sale. I actually studied graphic design in school, and have always loved doing it. I didn't follow an educational career path into commercial art, and I am sure my talents are mediocre at best, but I still have fun. I have five Zazzle stores so far, and plan to open more in the future. This is one of the endeavors I blog about, sometimes pairing a Zazzle store with a blog to increase web presence of my brand.

Youtube.
Another thing I do is Youtube. I mainly post videos to share rare music, but I also post videos to promote my music or my Zazzle store products, or whatever other cross-promotion idea I can come up with. Most of my videos are monetized, so I get a small advertising payback.

Music.
This is the big one for me. The one I HAVE to do. I am a musician, an artist, and I feel driven to create. My interest in music is so widespread, that there is literally too much that I want to do for me to do it all. I have my band, which is also my main songwriting outlet. We are primarily a recording project right now, but we have not ruled out playing live. I also have my avant-garde, experimental music. This is mainly stuff I put out on my record label, Cities of Agartha Records. This would include my solo material, as well as several side project bands like Johnny Has His Hand and Thequestionmarkis. I would also like to put out other lo-fi/experimental type music that I am not involved in.

Writing.
As I said earlier, I love to write. I have wanting to get into writing books for quite a while now, and there are quite a few things going for a self-published potential author right now. There are several good print-on-demand publishers now that will print your book only when it is ordered, so printing costs are almost eliminated. Many of these include access to good, free distribution. The popularity of e-books has also greatly expanded the market for self-published authors. There is also Kickstarter, which can help fund a great number of projects, including books.

I haven't actually started making much money yet, which is getting a little scary, but I am still going to give it my best. You can check out my many endeavors below. If you think you know people that would be interested in a particular project of mine, please feel free to share the link!

Blogs:
Sky Turns Mad
You are here right now. This is basically a place for me to ramble on about anything I like.
 Olaf Jansen
This is primarily for reviewing and recommending music. A lot of my reviews include affiliate links.
Kitchen Provisions
This is a new one. Basically, I review kitchen supplies that I use. This is another affiliate link based site.
Vid-So-Funny
This is an ad supported site where I just share funny Youtube videos.
Dear Willie Nelson
Besides being a prolific songwriter, Willie Nelson is great at making other peoples songs his own. Here I post about songs I would like to hear Willie sing.
Music Nerd Library
A joint venture with a friend of mine, Music Nerd Library is a kind of Facebook radio show. The idea is we collaborate on a playlist in a different genre every week. It's been a while since we've done an episode.

Zazzle:
Nice Try Lao Che
My first Zazzle store. Also a blog/Zazzle tie in. There is no overall theme to this store, just a wide variety of products.
Lao Che Skate
This is what first drew my attention to Zazzle. My skateboard company, Lao Che Skate is set up as a department of my main store, Nice Try Lao Che. Again, a blog tie in.
RastaPhones.com
This is a newer website I started. I really like rasta colored (green, yellow, and red) stuff, and therefore made a lot of rasta colored designs in my first Zazzle store. As it turns out, rasta colored items sell very good, so I started a store specializing in rasta colored phone cases.
Waiting at Sea Merch
Cities of Agartha Records Merch
Two stores I made to sell band merch. Nothing beats a good merch table at a live show, but print-on-demand options allow a cost effective alternative.

Youtube:
SoberFrank
My main Youtube channel. Like I said, mainly for rare music, but I also do some cross promotions.
Waiting at Sea Youtube
This one is all videos for my band, Waiting at Sea. We started this long before we started our recording project, as a way for people to hear us and get an idea what we were doing.

Music:
Waiting at Sea
My primary band. An acoustic duo and songwriting partnership. We are currently recording. Doing it ourselves, our recording seems to be taking forever. From our website you can find our Facebook, Youtube, Soundcloud, and Zazzle pages.
Cities of Agartha Records
My other musical outlet. Here I can release all my noisy, experimental ideas. I also hope to release projects I don't play in someday.

Writing:
Triond
I occasionally write articles and publish them online through a place called Triond. My articles get published one of their many websites and I get a small cut of the advertising revenue. I also get a referral fee if someone else signs up and earns anything.

Affiliate Links:
Amazon.com
Anything someone buys through this link, or any of my other many links, I get a kick back. I'm not encouraging you to shop there, but if you do, you might as well buy through me.

What Would Jello Do

What would Jello do is a series of short spoken word talks from Jello Biafra.  Most are fairly short, under ten minutes, and focus on one specific topic. I like these, although they don't satisfy my desire for a new spoken word album from him.


#31 Fracking!

#36 The Trouble with the NSA.

#37 Trans-Pacific Partnership.

I Don't Care For Money (Money's Not for Me)

I don't like money. Perhaps it's because so many people make such a big deal about it, and sacrifice so much for it. Don't get me wrong, I realize money can be a means to an end. Not liking money, or not being interested in money, doesn't mean I don't recognize the value of money. I buy things, I pay my bills, I eat. Unlike many, however, I only want to have enough money. Winning the lottery or getting some soul crushing high paying job holds no interest for me. I need enough money to maintain a decent lifestyle, but only to maintain the lifestyle I have now. I don't need a huge house or lot's more stuff. I get by. I could always get by with less.

Embrace: Money
I can truly say I don't give a fuck about your money...

Choking Victim: Money
I don't care for money, and money's not for me...

D.R.I.: Money Stinks
I stayed at home today, and I'm not going back to work, money stinks...

25 Albums.

Back in 2009, there was a Facebook thing going around where you list your top 25 albums. This is my post from February 2009. This would be a little different if I did it today, but it would have been different in January or march 2009. I stand by what I said.

This isn't a list of the BEST 25 , just the 25 that come to mind first. You'll see an improvement as the gin works its way through me.

1. Beck - One Foot in the Grave.  This one made me want to record, any way that I could. I still have not replaced the copy I gave away years ago, but don't regret it either.

2. Sunny Day Real Estate - Diary. There is no describing how I feel about this one. I am just amazed and inspired every time I hear it.

3. Black Flag - Damaged. I could have listed ANY Black Flag release, or ALL of them, but this is the first I ever owned. Greg Ginn and his band have inspired my listening, my playing, and my work ethic.

4. John Lee Hooker - Boogie Chillun. Amazing live album by an amazing performer. This one has John Lee Hooker alone, just the man and his guitar.

5. Jim Croce - Live: Final Tour. The album that got me into Jim Croce, and if you ever seen me drunk enough, you've prolly seen me half passed out, half singing Jim Croce. Thanks Dad.

6. Circle Jerks - Gig. I still remember how it sounded the first time I heard it. To this day, this is the live album all other live albums are judged by.

7. Jimi Hendrix - The Jimi Hendrix Concerts. Not the best collection of live recordings of his, but the one that got me really into Jimi. Again, thanks Dad.

8. Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill. A car staple. Rhymin and Stealin, No Sleep, Slow and Low, etc... Many road trips would not have been the same. And the guitar riffs... I mean FUCK...

9. June Of 44 - Engine Takes to the Water. There is no comparison, this album is a stand alone classic. Thanks Aaron O.

10. Rollinghead - Daddyhorse. One of my first favorite bands. I saw them everytime they did an all ages. From Music Express in-stores to Music on the Mall. Still one of my all time favorite bands.

11. The Pogues - Red Roses for Me. This album is a perfect frame for my own alcoholism. Everything Shane touches is pure gold.

12. Painkiller - Buried Secrets. The CD that got me into John Zorn. Amazing, brutal, scary, and raw. Thanks Becky!

13. Motorhead - Any. NO list of music is complete without Lemmy. Best metal bands, best hard rock albums, best classical composers, best boy band. NO list is complete without Lemmy.

14. Hayden - Everything I Long for. This is an instant classic. If you don't know you won't know.

15. Desmond Dekker - Rockin Steady: Best of. This is the one that got me into Desmond Dekker, and ska/rocksteady/reggae in general. Fantastic collection. I still have the copy Moira left me at 303. Sorry, Moira.

16. Nirvana - Bleach (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition). Raw and overlooked. Even if you don't like their later work, you need this one. I traded my first copy for some shrooms. Issac and I used to record School (rather badly) after bribing little Derek to leave us alone.

17. Body Count - Born Dead. Ice mother fucking T and heavy motherfucking metal! Come on people!

18. New Kids On The Block - New Kids on the Block. The one before Hangin Tough. An-gel, girl you make my dreams come true, an-gel, spend my whole life loving you, an-gel, baby you are the one for me, an-gel... that's right, from memory. I went there. You want more... A, is cause I'm always gonna love you, N, never gonna leave you, G, is for your good good loving, E, is for your ever lasting love, L is cause I love you, really really love you. From memory while listing to other music. Bitches.

19. ACDC - Back in Black. I should have Bon Scott material listed here, but Back In Black kind of has the best of both worlds, the band they were with Bon, and the band they would become without him.

20. Mano Negra - Puta's Fever. Get this. Get this now. I first saw Mano Negra on a recording of the Japanese TV show All Nite Fuji, which ended up the name of my band with Benny. This album is perfect beginning to end. Mano Negra may in fact be the best band worldwide, ever.

21. Minor Threat - Complete Discography. I first heard Minor Threat on a mixtape that Jeremy made for PJ that PJ gave to me. The same tape (there may have been two) got me into Black Flag, NOFX, Misfits, Dead Kennedys and CRASS (among others). Thanks Jeremy... Anyways, Minor Threat got me into the whole DC harDCore thing, which was a tremendous influence on both my songwriting, musical work ethic, and lifestyle. Its funny that this drunken mess used to abstain from intoxicants.

22. D.R.I. - 4 of a Kind. My first D.R.I., one of the best. This represents one of my ideal guitar sounds. My ten year old son is now a D.R.I. fan. Fuckin' A!

23. Willie Nelson - Countryman. Willie does reggae. It really doesn't get better than this. Just don't buy your copy at walmart, the edit out the pot leaf on the cover. Toots sings on a few tracks. That's right, Toots Hibbert AND Willie Nelson. Sounds like something out of a dream.

24. CRASS - Best Before. It just feels wrong without CRASS. I picked Derek up after work and rushed up to Music Express before they closed for the night so Derek (who still has my copy of Penis Envy) could buy a copy, before a night at Big Boy, before the dark times, before the Emperor...

25. Flee The Scene. This may be the most important album here, cause it is the one I put out. I was inspired by Dischord and SST to start my own label. Which I did with this CD. I got to work with such legends as The Freeze, Dropdead, and Berwer. Even though we ended after one more release, I still did it, and that's what counts. My compilation has been sold around the world and has been called a punk orgasm. Anyone who doesn't have one can drop me an address and I'll mail you one, or a dozen.

I should have put some others, Urban Riot - A Mile In Our Shoes (the other release I put out), Misfits, Green Day - Kerplunk, Exploited - Punk's Not Dead, Bob Marley - ANY/ALL, The Clash, I Hate Myself - 10 songs, David Allan Coe - Penitentiary Blues, Skrewdriver - All Skrewed Up, Dead Kennedys - In God We Trust Inc., The Animals, Manowar - Battle Hymns ...

One Black Flag.

It seems like every article that has been written about Black Flag, or the other band, FLAG, states that there are "two versions of Black Flag" right now. While it is true that there are two bands going around with former members of Black Flag, playing Black Flag music, only one is Black Flag.
Black Flag, as the name would suggest, is Black Flag. They have the only consistent member, Greg Ginn. He is also the main driving force behind the band's sound. The fact that they have a new drummer and a new bass player should only be expected as Black Flag had six of each in their original run.
FLAG is some sort of revival/tribute band. It is true that four of the five of them were in Black Flag at one time, but they weren't all in the band together. They don't represent a particular line-up. They are not recording new music, and worst of all, they are not progressing the sound in any way. Progression is the trademark sound of Black Flag.
Don't get me wrong, if this seeing an odd grouping of ex-Black Flag members play early Black Flag songs without Greg Ginn is your thing, then go for it. The fact remains, however, that there is only one Black Flag.

1. Almost half of Black Flag's set is post-Damaged, while FLAG only plays a few post-Damaged songs.
2. Black Flag has progressed the sound. Even the old songs are played in a new way. FLAG sounds like they are trying to imitate the way they played in '79.
3. Black Flag is writing and recording new music. Real bands do this, revival and tribute bands typically just play old music, which is what FLAG is doing.
4. Greg Ginn is the one essential ingredient in Black Flag's original run. Sure, Keith formed the band. He also left in 1979, missing out on almost seven years of the band. Black Flag is more than Nervous Breakdown and Jealous Again. Black Flag is The Process of Weeding Out, Family Man, and In My Head.
5. Black Flag till plays instrumental songs. FLAG does not. Black Flag plays jam style songs, FLAG does not.

Black Flag was a hardcore punk band in 1979. They became so much more than that. They were experimental, improvisational, instrumental, and innovative. FLAG might do a good job of capturing 1979, but they stop there. FLAG does nothing to continue the legacy of Black Flag. Even if you don't like Rollins era Black Flag, or you don't like post-My War Black Flag, or you don't like instrumental jam band Black Flag, or you don't like 2013 Black Flag, it doesn't change the fact that there is one Black Flag.

RastaPhones.com

I really like the "rasta" color scheme. The green, yellow, and red. I have rasta colored socks, rasta stripes on my shoes, rasta colors on my backpack. I don't honestly care if it's trendy, or lame, or overused, or whatever. I like the green, yellow, and red.
when I started my first Zazzle store, Nice Try Lao Che,  I didn't really have a theme in mind. I just wanted to have fun making different products. It didn't take me long to start making things with rasta colors. As it turned out, rasta colored items are some of my biggest sellers. In the neighborhood of fifty percent of my sales involve rasta themed items. Pins, stickers, cell phone cases. Even pacifiers are selling decently.
Getting to the point, I've now started a new store, and website, called RastaPhones.com. While my first store, Nice Try Lao Che, is a mess of all kinds of different products, this new store, as the name implies, is all rasta themed cell phone cases, covers, and skins. I am hoping this new store will make it easier for people looking for simple green, yellow and red cell phone covers to find what they seek.


A selection of rasta products at Nice Try Lao Che:




Some of the products at RastaPhones.com

Ian MacKaye Spoken Word.

 Punk rock frontmen Jello Biafra and Henry Rollins are well known for their spoken word careers, but Ian MacKaye gets out there with some spoken word on occasion as well. Although he hasn't made albums like his contemporaries, I really like his style. Thanks to Youtube, we can hear many of his spoken word gigs.

Coming To Terms With Marijuana.

I have come to terms with being a pot head. Not the kind of pot head who gets high all day every day, although I have some dear friends like that and they are always fun to hang out with. You know the kind, the smoke a joint in the alley behind the club between bands while everyone else is a few feet away smoking cigarettes kind. That's not me, except when I hang out with them. I don't tend to do much of anything high. I'm more the smoke a joint at the end of the day and then eat too much while watching Logan's Run kind of pot head. I actually don't smoke too often, either. When I have a bag, I'll smoke daily, but I don't often buy weed. I'll go months or even years without weed sometimes. I love smoking it, smelling it, talking about it, and looking at it, but it's not a habit I actually get around to that much.
Maybe I'm a lazy pot head. Maybe I'm not a pot head at all. I know I really enjoy the occasional high.

Toke 'em if you got 'em!

Its Been Longer (In My Eyes)

It's been a while since I wrote anything here of substance. I wrote my first post here in 2007. I have continued writing posts here only on occasion. In six years I've only written just over 20 posts, many of which were quickies. In 2008 I wrote a post entitled Its Been While (Who Am I). It's now 2013 and I think it's time for an updated post.

I'm still in my mid-thirties, but am now closing in on the mid-to-late-thirties thing. I'm balder, to the point where I just keep my hair cropped short. No more colors or mohawks for me. I'm still overweight, a fat vegan. I do intend to loose weight though, if for no other reason than to fit a few shirts I like. I no longer like not having facial hair. I look funny without it. For the last year or so I've been wearing my beard with a little shaved strip on either side of my goatee area. I don't know what to call this beard style. Fuck it.

I'm still vegan and can not imagine being any other way. I know people that were ethical vegans years ago and seem to have given up the lifestyle. I cannot imagine doing that, but then again, I don't crave any animal products in the least. Being that I don't feel as though I am missing out on anything, veganism only effects my life where it interacts with normal society.  I understand the desire to fit in, to be normal, but I couldn't do it.

I no longer drink alcohol. It's been a few years now, and I don't miss it. I don't miss hangovers, and I don't miss getting shitfaced and ordering stupid shit on Ebay. I have a shit ton of drunken adventure stories, I don't need anymore. I really don't want to top the one where I passed out in a parking lot and got taken to the ER by the police. I still love beer though. Ocasionally I get on a kick of drinking N/A beer. Clausthaler and Buckler being my favorites, although cheap old Miller Sharp's will do in a pinch. I'm drinking a Sharp's right now in fact.

Politically, I am still into animal rights issues, as well as human rights issues, but I am getting more and more into pacifism and anarchism. I am absolutely anti-war. I can no longer vote for pro-war politicians, which excludes most of both major parties for me. Anarchism, for me, is more of an ideal, a philosophical goal. It has to do with real freedom, and really isn't the chaos that most people think about when they hear the word anarchy. I very much support marriage rights, and I don't really understand those that don't. I am becoming increasingly anti-corporate. The list of companies I won't support grows almost daily. You truly do vote with your dollar.

I still work in a factory. I've been doing factory work for fifteen years now, but I think I am done for good. I've never once been truly happy with factory life. Don't get me wrong, it's alright for some people. The routine, the stability, the easy work then retire blueprint. For me, I am really starting to see the toll factory life has had on my body, on my personal relationships, and on my happiness. My current employer, a multinational corporation, is following the typical maximize profit style that is becoming all too common in the workplace today. The idea is to save as much money at the bottom so as to pool that money at the top. Jobs are eliminated and combined, fewer employees are worked more hours, little things are taken away here and there. When you take into account benefits, it can be more cost effective to work one employee 80 hours a week than it is to work two employees 40 hours a week. This over working results in chronic pain injuries, high stress, accidents on the job, and a seemingly high divorce rate. Personally, I can't take it anymore. I see the problems other people have with their arms and shoulders and necks and knees, and I see the beginnings of these lifelong problems in myself. If I sacrifice my arms for this company, I give up playing guitar. If I sacrifice my knees, I give up skateboarding. If I sacrifice my marriage and my relationship with my kids, then what was the fucking point of all this work in the first place.

I guess I am at a crossroads right now. I am theoretically happy, although work has been keeping me from making that happiness a reality. I like the direction my life could take if I do manage to remove myself from factory life, from the traditional workforce in general. I am now doing many of things I want to spend my time doing, but I am just barely doing any of them. I want to perform, write and record music. I want to travel. I want to write books and articles and blog posts. I want to skateboard and go to arcades with my kids.

I apparently also like to ramble on and on.

There will be a next time...

Waiting at Sea: Empty Booth

Empty Booth by Waiting at Sea.
Words and music by Frank Lynch.
Waiting at Sea is Frank Lynch and Kristen VanLoon.

What Do Vegans Eat?

I made this shirt a while ago on Zazzle, available in both light and dark.

What Do Vegans Eat? Shirts by NiceTryLaoChe
Create one-of-a-kind custom t-shirts at Zazzle.

I then wrote an article about it at Triond. What Do Vegans Eat?

Recently I turned the design into a Youtube video.