Slim's Sporadic

TONIGHT (MON 11/26): "What's Your Answer?" debuts at 12 Galaxies!

sfslim — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 08:03:43 GMT

From the same people who've chosen to accept the BLAME (and some limited legal responsibility) for such FAMOUS travesties as URBAN Golf, The BUZZED BEE, The $25,000 Pyramid Scheme, and Crackhouses For Humanity comes the most COMPELLING underground entertainment EVENT of the first part of this week: "WHAT'S YOUR ANSWER?" - the Pub Quiz night where the most humorous answer wins! At "What's Your Answer?" we don't care how many obscure historical facts you've memorized, or which team has kept up to date on the latest dirt about Britney Lohiltonhan, or who knows which rogue nation just now broke off all diplomatic ties with the U.S. and is threatening an imminent nuclear attack. Well, okay, we /might/ care a little bit about that last one. But ONLY if your answer is funny. That's right. The answer that gets the most LAUGHS will also get the most points, as awarded by our panel of celebrity judges. At "What's Your Answer?" there's NO NEED to actually KNOW ANYTHING, just so long as you and your team can crack wise. Or crack stupid. We really DON'T care. But at the end of the night, the team with the most points will win some fabulously crass PRIZES, and bragging rights (or "street cred") redeemable within a laughably small and hopelessly ESOTERIC local sub-culture!!! This NOT-TO-BE-MISSED show will DEBUT at 9pm on MONDAY the 26th at renowned Mission Street hotspot 12 GALAXIES. $5 dollars admission, no one turned away for lack of funds, taste, timing or tact. More details at the "What's Your Answer?" Web Experience: http://crackhouses.org/whatsyouranswer/ As seen on LAUGHING SQUID: http://laughingsquid.com/whats-your-answer-game-show-where-the-funniest-answer-wins/

Final Warning: Zombie Mob after SF Mayoral Debate TONIGHT!

sfslim — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 22:45:58 GMT

Good citizens of San Francisco, this is your FINAL WARNING. As part of our defensive plan to contain as many zombies in one place as possible, the Double-L Gyratory Zomby Attractor will be switched "ON" at 7:30pm tonight. When: 7:30pm Thursday 10/11 Wear: duct tape on torso to indicate participation Where: The NW corner of the Main Library Larkin Street, by Fulton The large metal sculpture (aka "The Double-L Gyratory Zomby Attractor") Google Maps Link: http://tinyurl.com/2xoj6u Many of you were already wisely taking precautions to stay far far far away from that area already due to the San Francisco MAYORAL DEBATE going on at the EXACT SAME TIME. Hopefully the undead attackers will be subdued before the the debate is completed and the hundreds of attendees leave the building through the single exit pointed directly at Larkin and Fulton. Those good citizens, though likely disenfranchised and disillusioned, are not disembrained, and may thus prove IRRESISTABLE to the shambling cerebrophillic horde. If defeat is unsuccessful, an unknown party has offered to capture as many zombies possible inside a bus, and drive them all to a classified area (in the Mission) for complimentary "embalming fluid" afterwards. - - - - - - - A recap of basic zombie mob procedures & etiquette: Show up at the meeting point on time. Arrive dressed as either a zombie (fake blood, torn clothing, vacant stare) or a zombie victim (place a piece of duct tape somewhere visible upon your person, and wear clothes that you do not mind having torn and bloodied). Act like zombies. Attack and "convert" victims. (If you have it, bring extra blood and makup for conversions.) Shamble where the mob shambles. Have fun, but be respectful of innocent bystanders and private property. 1. If you are wearing duct tape on your torso, the mob will attack you, ruin your clothes, eat your brains. 2. Zombies will not get blood on innocent bystanders or their things. 3. Zombies will leave private property reasonably soon after being asked. 4. Zombies who don’t exhibit these behaviors will be beaten into shape by their fellow horde. NOTE: Even if you didn't come to work today in "zombie attire" please JOIN US regardless. A shamble and a moan is more than costume enough, and the MORE zombies, the BETTER. (Or worse, really.) Further details and updates at http://www.eatbrains.com. Photo by Scott Beale / Laughing Squid.

URGENT ALERT: Zombie outbreak IMMINENT!!!

sfslim — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 22:54:36 GMT

Tomorrow, Thurs 11th at 7:30 at NW corner of Larkin by Fulton. The gory details are at http://eatbrains.com/?p=17 [Photo by Scott Beale / Laughing Squid]

Let's eat some BRAINS!

sfslim — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 08:45:44 GMT

It's shaping up to be a very ZOMBY week... First, the beloved (and feared) SF-based zombie go-go dancers, "The Living Dead Girlz" have released their music video "BRAINS", a memetastic monster mash-up parody of Kelly's intardwebz song-du-femtosecond, "Shoes". YouTube linkage below, of which click-through (and copious re-blogging) is mandatory. <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1R-V846_Mm8"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1R-V846_Mm8" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> Next, I've begun to get disturbing reports of a IMMINENT undead outbreak, localized somewhere in San Francisco THIS THURSDAY NIGHT. Prepare your zombie protective gear, stay closely tuned here, or follow the updates on eatbrains.com for further details. You have been warned. Until then... "BRAINS."

Help me find the pr0n I'm looking for, plz.

sfslim — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 02:01:02 GMT

I will be giving a presentation at this weekend's technology and pornography conference, Arse Electronica. My talk, entitled "Behind The (Green) Screen Door: Exploring the Untapped Potential of Digital Visual Effects in Pornography" is about, well, digital visual effects and their future applications in the realm of adult entertainment. Linky: http://monochrom.at/arse-elektronika/ Currently, I'm looking for a few DVD's for both research and possible use as examples during my presentation. If you have any of the following titles (or anything else that you think might be relevant or beneficial for me to see) I would very much appreciate borrowing them for the next few days. Thanks! Behind The Green Door La Blue Girl La Blue Girl Live (also: any hentai, anime or live) Pirates (unrated, Joone) Anything by Andrew Blake Anything by Michael Ninn I'm also looking for the following non-pr0n films: Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End 300, 2-disc Edition Sin City, 2-disc Edition The Matrix (any version with special features, specifically in re: "bullet time") Fight Club, 2-disc edition Any DVD's with good featurettes regarding modern VFX techniques As always, you can email me directly at sfslim on the Google email service (gmail.com). Namaste, pervs!

Prim & Proper Tea - The Where and When of It

sfslim — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 05:26:19 GMT

Here's an update from Nifer on tomorrow's tomfoolery: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WHEN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2 o'clock, Sunday, September 30th ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WHERE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We will meet at the intersection of 8th & Folsom at 2pm, and park ourselves either at that intersection, or perhaps closer to Folsom & 9th if that's where we find a spot. (Located between 8th & 9th seems good, in that it isn't too close to a performance stage.) I suppose it depends exactly when we arrive there and what we see what our options are. Here's a mappy: http://folsomstreetevents.org/gmaps/folsom-map.php ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ And lastly, the list of Stuff We Could Still Use MORE Of: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + Silver serving platters (It's all about the POSH!) + Tea Cups & Saucers - mismatching would be cute! + Tea-spiking stuff-- whiskey, rum, Irish Cream (can't have enough, no?) + Small Eats - Ideas: Tea Biscuits, Crumpets with jars of Devon Cream or Lemon Curd, Petits Fours (Scones are being brought, but we should have more nibbles please!) ps. We're bringing several large thermoses (thermooses?) of tea, but it's all black (English Breakfast, Earl Grey). If you have other, more particular tea needs, such as green or herbal, you may want to BYOT.

Prim & Proper Queers - High Tea at Folsom

sfslim — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 23:28:01 GMT

Hello there fellow (and fellette) freaks! The oh-so-lovely Nifer has invited us to attend a delightfully silly aesthetic inversion at this weekend's Folsom Street Fair: A very prim and proper high tea gathering. I'm in stitches already and just can't wait for the big day. I haven't been this excited to attend "The Avenue of Cockrings" (as John V. so aptly described it) in years. Please join us and make it even more enjoyable! Tribe event link: http://sanfrancisco.tribe.net/event/dcda4e72-5194-43ef-93c4-0770123aec71 Details on LJ: http://spiderfiend.livejournal.com/117960.html

I'm seeking a new residence. Can you help?

sfslim — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 20:39:33 GMT

Hello friends, one and all! I've just arrived back in San Francisco after an incredibly challenging and fulfilling year (my 13th) at Burning Man, and now it's time to find a new homebase where I can settle down, reflect and recharge, and prepare for my coming projects. If any of you know of a room or space that you think might be appropriate for me (and me for it), I'd greatly appreciate hearing about it. I'm most interested in something a little more cozy and private than the large, shared art / shop spaces that I've lived at in the past, though I'm up for just about anything. (If the open houses I've gone to thus far are any indication, it's going to be difficult to find a more "normal" space without it also being populated by equally "normal" people. And though I don't need to live exclusively with A-list freaks, I do need to reside with Fellow Travellers who've at least dipped their toesies outside of the kiddie pool of conformist culture.) My current vision is a teensy studio that I can rent solo, or a medium to large sized room in a share rental, either one ideally in the central Mission. Good light is a desirable, as is a lack of excessive traffic noise. Reasonable, considerate, and mature housemates are a must. Crafty, creative and unusual types are a major plus. TV-watching, apart from NetFlix or bitorrents, should be minimal (i.e. I don't want to live with "Sportscenter" or "The O.C." junkies. Nearly any rent considered for the right place, but under $1K would be preferable. WiFi is mandatory, even over water, heat or food. Thanks for reading, and feel free to contact me at gmail (sfslim@) if you have any leads, questions, or animal husbandry emergencies. Namaste y'all! - Slim

The Buzzed Bee returns! TOMORROW (thurs)@12 Galaxies

sfslim — Wed, 23 May 2007 19:05:22 GMT

Once again, it's time to come out and get your SPELL on. The beautiful disaster we lovingly call "The Buzzed Bee" returns TOMORROW NIGHT (Thursday 5/24) at its NEW VENUE, the incomparable 12 Galaxies, complete with a brand new opening "act". All details at: http://crackhouses.org/buzzedbee/ Tursday, May 24th – cheap $5 cover 8pm One Man Banjo, 9pm Buzzed Bee Spelling Begins 12 Galaxies 2565 Mission Street @ 22nd On May 24th, Crackhouses Productions proudly presents the triumphant return of San Francisco's premier adult spelling bee, THE BUZZED BEE. New Improved Location! The 3rd iteration of the beloved BUZZED BEE will be held at the spectacular 12 Galaxies! Cleaner sound! Opening act, One Man Banjo! The audience will hear every letter that drops from your lips... I-M-B-E-C-I-E-L EEEEE! Wrong! Of course, the famous Buzzed Bee DSYLEXIC CHEERLEADERING S-Q-U-A-B will be on hand to R-I-S-E your spirits and offer their skimpily salacious divertissements! So come on down to the best game in town! Participants will wrack their brains and un-tie their tongues in an open competition to "bee" crowned San Francisco's BEST SPELLER, and take home the grand prize! Ok to be honest we have no idea what the grand prize will be, but last time we gave away a car! What you don't remember the car? Well you must of missed it cause we did—or at least we meant to—it was in the flyer. Oh well whatever the grand prize is it's sure to be A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!!

Calling all Pee-wees!

sfslim — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 18:14:08 GMT

[This urgent Pee-wee bulletin brought to you by paulreubensday.com] BREAKING NEWS!!! Paul Reubens makes rare live appearance... in SAN FRANCISCO! Throw on your best Pee-wee garb and come out to Amoeba Music on Haight Street THIS SUNDAY, January 21 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. for a DVD signing session with Pee-wee Herman creator Paul Reubens! Sunday, January 21, 2007 3:00-5:00 p.m. Amoeba Music, SF 1855 Haight St. San Francisco, CA www.amoeba.com FREE & ALL AGES EVENT Spread the word! Let's pull out all the stops and bring the Wees out in force to greet their namesake! Further discussion and logistics for this and other Pee-wee events can be found at http://peewees.tribe.net/ And then on MONDAY... Paul Reubens is in San Francisco for SF Sketchfest! http://sfsketchfest.com/home/ Monday January 22, 2007 8pm Paul Reubens In Conversation With Ben Fong-Torres $25 Tribute Program $50 Tribute And Reception Monday, Jan 22, 8pm At The Palace Of Fine Arts SF Sketchfest is proud to present the SF Sketchfest Tribute to Paul Reubens. Join Reubens for a spirited conversation with renowned Rolling Stone Magazine journalist and best-selling author Ben Fong-Torres, followed by questions from the audience in the beautiful Palace of Fine Arts. Once again, a bevy of Wees and other playhouse characters will be in attendance, INCLUDING at the private reception with Paul Reubens himself! A once in a lifetime chance! Not to be missed!

TONIGHT! The entire Purple Rain album on Ukulele & Saw!!!

sfslim — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 18:35:39 GMT

9PM TONIGHT (Thursday November 9th) The Rickshaw Stop - 155 Fell St., SF $10 / Ages 21+ Given how abundantly talented my dear pals Amy Zing and Kelly McCubbin are, there is simply no way I would possibly miss this. And I heartily encourage you to join me, and add your voices to the purple chorus as we recite: "Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called LIFE...." The man. The artist. The musican. The guitar. Well, scrap the guitar. Because we will be presenting Prince's classic, groundbreaking album, "Purple Rain," from start to finish, on ukuleles. Lots of ukuleles. More ukuleles than perhaps you've ever seen, or ever will. Sure, there will be some xylophone, saw, washboard and spoons, but really, it's all about the uke. Featuring 5 Cent Coffee, Stella!, Just Henry, and Kitten on the Keys! Dressing up and singing along is not only tolerated, it is welcomed. Put on your eyeliner and frilly shirt, put your hands in the air, and say it with me......... "I Would Die 4 Uke!"

TONIGHT: The Buzzed Bee returns! (8pm, Rx Gallery)

sfslim — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 18:57:40 GMT

In case you missed my earlier post (or my email, or Chicken John's email, or our listing on Laughing Squid, or the Craigslist post, or the series of beehive-shaped smoke signals we sent up from atop Twin Peaks, or...) here is your final reminder about tonight's honeydripped debacle THE BUZZED BEE! TONIGHT! TONIGHT! TONIGHT! Rx Gallery 132 Eddy Street @ Mason (directions) 8pm (spelling starts promptly at 9pm) Completely re-engineered, version 2 of the BUZZED BEE features clearer sound, faster rounds, and more chances for you to make a fool of yourself in front of your so-called friends. Spectators will T-H-R-I-L-L to the skimpily salacious divertissements of the Buzzed Bee DSYLEXIC CHEERLEADERING SQUAB, while participants will wrack their brains and un-tie their tongues in an open competition to "bee" crowned San Francisco's BEST SPELLER! So to recap, we have: [ X ] No cover charge. [ X ] Sexy Cheerleaders in Skimpy Outfits. [ X ] A Spelling Bee for Intoxicated Adults. [ X ] A Bevy of Fabulous Prizes, and PLENTY of other surprises! So come on back for another ride on the B-U-Z-Z-E-D B-E-E. We promise we won't sting (unless you ask very nicely). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Make sure to arrive on time or you may miss out on the initial fast and furious qualifying round (aka "The Circle J-E-R-Q-U-E"). Latest BUZZED BEE news + photos from previous bees online at: http://www.catcubed.com/buzzedbee/

NEXT WEEK: The BUZZED BEE Returns! (Thu Oct 12)

sfslim — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 08:52:41 GMT

On October 12th, we proudly present the triumphant return of San Francisco's premier adult spelling bee, THE BUZZED BEE! Completely re-engineered, version 2 of the BUZZED BEE features clearer sound, faster rounds, and more chances for you to make a fool of yourself in front of your so-called friends. Spectators will T-H-R-I-L-L to the skimpily salacious divertissements of the Buzzed Bee DSYLEXIC CHEERLEADERING SQUAB, while participants will wrack their brains and un-tie their tongues in an open competition to "bee" crowned San Francisco's BEST SPELLER, and take home the grand prize: A BRAND NEW VOLVO! (Well, new to you at least.) Yes, that's right! To atone for our debut performance, which one local critic called "a beautiful disaster" we will be giving away an actual, working A-U-T-O-M-O-B-I-L-E! What other night out in SF can make that offer? Okay, /other/ than Ruby Skye's weekly BMW raffle and "Free Edsel Fridays" at Lucky 13? NONE I tell you! NONE. So to recap, we have: [ X ] No cover charge. [ X ] Sexy Cheerleaders in Skimpy Outfits. [ X ] A Spelling Bee for Intoxicated Adults. [ X ] A Bevy of Fabulous Prizes, Including A FREE CAR! ... as well as music, punch and pie, and PLENTY of other surprises. So come on back for another ride on the B-U-Z-Z-E-D B-E-E. We promise we won't sting (unless you ask very nicely). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, Oct 12th, 8pm (spelling starts at 9pm) Free!!! @ Rx Gallery 132 Eddy Street @ Mason NOTE: Make sure to arrive on time or you may miss out on the initial fast and furious qualifying round (aka "The Circle J-E-R-Q-U-E"). Latest BUZZED BEE news + photos from previous bees online at: http://www.catcubed.com/buzzedbee/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Most words used in BUZZED BEE are taken from the Scripps National Spelling Bee Consolidated Word List, which, if you actually have enough time on your hands to study, should preclude you from being a fun person and therefore you should stay out of the competition entirely. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please Help Lou!

sfslim — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 19:52:43 GMT

My friend Lou Genise was recently diagnosed with colon cancer that has metasticized to his liver. For those of you who haven't met him, know that Lou is an extremely kind, generous and talented man who has contributed an incredible amount of energy and creativity to our community, both on the playa, and in the Los Angeles area where he lives. Lou's many friends are currently working together to help him with the assistance and support that he needs right now. Anything that you can do to help them would be greatly appreciated. More information about Lou, his condition, and the efforts to help him can be found at: http://www.helplou.com/ http://tribes.tribe.net/helplou2heal Also, if you live in or near LA, please attend Lou's next benefit, JUMBO'S CLOWN ROOM NIGHT FOR LOU! Wed. Oct 18th from 10pm-12am JUMBO'S CLOWN ROOM 5153 Hollywood Blvd There's never been a better time to come see the sexy vixens of Jumbo's dancing for your pleasure, and Lou's benefit - they've generously offered to donate their tips to his cause!

Tomorrow (Sunday): Group motorcycle ride to Alice's

sfslim — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 23:03:36 GMT

It's midsummer and the weather is crisp, clear and sunny, all perfect conditions for a sunday morning ride to the famous Alice's Restaurant! So throw a leg over your favorite two-wheeled steed, fill your tank, and meet up with us at the (equally famous) Caffe Trieste in North Beach at 10:00AM. At 10:30, after fueling up on espressos we'll depart on a appallingly scenic loop through the city, down Highway 1 and inland to Alice's. After lunch we'll head back up the superlatively twisty Skyline Boulevard and back home (either by way of the coast again, or 280, depending on the time and our inclination). And feel free to pass this invite along to friends! Alice's Restaurant http://alicesrestaurant.com/ ...on Google Maps http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Alice%2527s+Restaurant,+17288+Skyline+Blvd.,+Woodside,+CA+94062&ie=UTF8&li=lmd&om=1&cid=37452119,-122255879,1773830521467351238&ll=37.583222,-122.297745&spn=0.516937,0.524597 Caffe Trieste http://www.caffetrieste.com/ ...on Google Maps http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&sll=37.798645,-122.407291&sspn=0.021737,0.04858&q=Caffe+Trieste&ie=UTF8&cid=37798645,-122407291,477810491178097695&li=lmd&z=14&t=m Ride on!

Off to Black Rock

sfslim — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 06:46:45 GMT

Nifer and I are about to depart for a long 4th of July weekend of FUCKOism on and around the Black Rock playa. If any of you still don't have plans, please come up and join me. Bring beer and/or ammo, art and fire. And possibly some water or shade, y'know, if you're into that whole "survival" kick. Image: Burning FKO Monkee by Sarah and Mike McCabe, 2005. Photo by Kevin Mathieu.

Tonight: The BUZZED BEE! 8pm @ Rx Gallery 132 Eddy @ Mason

sfslim — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 19:46:51 GMT

This is it! The night of our janky, alcoholic "adult spilling bee" has arrived. So put on your best spelling cap, grab some friends and come on out to the Rx Gallery at 8:00. Whether you come to spell, drink, do both or neither, a S-U-P-E-R-L-A-T-I-V-E time is guaranteed for all (or your vowels back!) There will be t-shirts, dancing girls, prizes, drinking, spelling, and a super special M-U-S-I-C-A-L surprise. Get all the details at http://catcubed.com/buzzedbee/ Let's get BEE-tarded in here! - Slim

The BUZZED Bee --- THE Spelling Bee for adults, alcoholics and adolescent also-rans!

sfslim — Mon, 29 May 2006 23:01:02 GMT

Were you permanently scarred by a childhood spelling trauma? Do you have a poster of Rebecca Sealfon over your bed? Has poor spelling on the Internet driven you to drink? Are you /still/ smarter than all of your friends? Would you like a chance to prove it? Whether you spell "entertainment" D-R-I-N-K-I-N-G B-I-N-G-E or S-C-H-A-D-E-N-F-R-E-U-D-E the BUZZED BEE is the answer! Pulses will race, vocabularies will be expanded, beer will be drunk, words will be slurred, and dreams of victory will be dashed in a single round. Come to compete, or just cheer for your friends and heckle your enemies. Callously bet on who will visit "the comfort room" first. Keep an eye out for classic spelling bee contestants like "The Rich Prep School Kid" and the "Neurotic Home-Schooled Girl". And if you're lucky, someone will pee in their pants! We call it the BUZZED BEE, and it's taking place THIS THURSDAY NIGHT, at the Rx Gallery. Thursday, June 1st, 8pm Rx Gallery, 132 Eddy St. Admission is FREE ATTENTION SPELLERS: Relive your elementary school fantasies by COMPETING in the BUZZED BEE Spelling Bee! 1. Arrive early to get on the list of participants because there's only room for a select few to compete in each round. Be there to put your name on the list by 8:30 p.m. at the latest. Spelling starts promptly at 9:00. 2. Once you're up on stage, size up the competition. Take a good look at who is sitting near you. It's always the ones with the nervous tics to watch out for! 3. Make sure to imbibe large quantities of "liquid knowledge", aka A-L-C-O-H-O-L. It will lessen your nerves and maybe the judge will take pity on your slurred spelling. 4. Trash talk is encouraged at the BUZZED BEE. Bring forth that inner cutthroat 8-year old with mouth of a trucker... “You wouldn't know the difference between plesiosaur and plumicorn if it came up and bit you on the ass!” Or, “Hey ref, you're a mephitis prick!” 5. All words used in BUZZED BEE are taken from the Scripps National Spelling Bee Consolidated Word List, which, if you actually have enough time on your hands to study, should preclude you from being a fun person and therefore you should stay out of the competition entirely. Remember that the best and worst spellers will be competing for BUZZED BEE trophies, bragging rights, and more. Just think: a cathartic win here could save you thousands of dollars and years of therapy! P.S. We're looking for overly enthusiastic people for our Dyslexic Cheerleadering Squab to cheer on our contestants. If you think you have what it takes please contact us at headlouse(at)mindspring(dot)com For the latest BUZZED BEE news, visit http://catcubed.com/buzzedbee/

When you're a rat, you're a rat all the way...

sfslim — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 03:48:31 GMT

...from your first quart of Jack, to your last dying day? The annual East Bay Rats MC Fight Party is taking place tonight, over at NIMBY. But you knew that already, didn't you? I'd love to see you all there, amidst the engines, leather and blood... unless of course you're taking Wumpscutrin™, in which case furry blacklite sk'bowling might be more your speed. Only "$12 in wacky/furry/black-light attire". Fur + PLUR, baby, yeah! http://www.eastbayrats.com/home.html http://www.nimbyspace.org/ http://www.catcubed.com/wumpscutrin/ http://www.burningman.com/blackrockcity_yearround/special_events/flambe_lounge/flambe2006.html

Qui wikidiens ipso custodiet?

sfslim — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 00:46:52 GMT

I recently saw "V for Vendetta" with my friend (and noted journalist, editor and blogger) Chris Taylor. Chris, an erudite geek of the first water, had this to say about the film: > I still think Moore is a bit of a prima donna about his work. On the other hand, once, just once, > I'd like to see someone take a graphic novel and use it as a scene-by-scene movie script. > Just film the whole thing as it was written, and how it looks. You never know how well it could > work -- how many embryonic movies could be sitting meekly on the graphic novel shelves > -- until you try. I've often had this same thought, and though there are arguments to be made that a good film adaptation requires just that - adaptation - it would be very interesting to see someone attempt a wholly literal translation. Although not a shot-for-shot (or rather, shot-for-panel) translation, Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller's Sin City came remarkably close, demonstrating that it is possible to preserve a comic book's graphic style while still creating an enjoyable and cinematic movie. All the more so when that style is so distinctive and bold that it becomes a fundamental part of the story. Style as character, style as context, rather than superficial window-dressing. It almost goes without saying then that the graphic novel that I would most like to see adapted in a verbatim fashion is Alan Moore's uber-classic "Watchmen". Film rights for it have been kicking around Hollywood for years. For a long time Terry Gilliam was slated to direct, which might have either been genius or disaster. (Sadly, given his recent track record and my deep attachment to "Watchmen" I would suspect disaster as the more likely outcome. Beautiful, baroque, heavily embroidered disaster, but disaster nonetheless.) Next came "Pi" director Darren Aronofsky, but he also dropped out, supposedly due to scheduling conflicts. Regardless of who eventually directs it I have no doubt that a major Hollywood version of "Watchmen" will someday make its way to the screen. I also have no doubt that the result will be deeply underwhelming, at least for "Watchmen" truefans. Call it a failure of imagination, but I simply cannot see how such a sprawling, complex and textually dense epic could ever be effectively distilled into a two or even three hour movie without losing all of the symbology, subtext and backstory that made it so powerful. Even "Lord of The Rings", although longer, lent itself much more to the Hollywood treatment by being effectively reducible into a classic "good versus evil" adventure. "V for Vendetta" got a similar distillation, and actually came through both recognizable and entertaining, though not as intelligent or provocative as the original. In contrast, the world of "Watchmen" is too morally ambigious, its waters too muddy. It has no clear heroes or villians, and concludes with only the slightest gesture of triumph, a single resolving note amidst a unsettled, dissonant fog. Ambiguity and complexity are not things that Hollywood handles very well, especially when all they want to do is make another summer blockbuster about costumed comic book heroes. So if Hollow-Wood isn't up to the task, who is? The fans, possibly. Imagine a 'net based, publicly created, "open source" film project. Using a simple wiki-style framework, volunteers could download the necessary raw materials (eg. HD greenscreen elements, 3D objects, textures and scenes, audio files) and then upload their resulting versions of each shot (along with any newly created assets). Feedback could be given by all participants, and shots could be further modified either by their creator, or by other artists. Eventually a director (or administrative group) would select the best shots for inclusion in the final film. Of course, all of the other versions of the shots would still remain available, and anyone could produce their own alternative edit from this raw material. Obviously such an approach would not be without its problems. For example, given that adjacent shots might be completed at different times by different artists of different skill levels and styles, maintaining shot-to-shot consistency could be challenging. (Though some projects might actually benefit from such an anarchic style. Neal Stephenson's "Snowcrash" comes immediately to mind.) But as Wikipedia has demonstrated, the collaborative model can quickly and organically evolve solutions for its own liabilities. Thus, just as Wikipedians tend to "adopt" and oversee certain entries, dedicated Wikimators might choose to take on entire sequences of shots, ensuring at least intrasequence consistency. It is also possible that some of the consequences of collaborative film production turn out to not to be "problems" at all, but simply a new and exciting set of stylistic conventions in the ever-expanding realm of human artistic expression. Welcome the the era of the WikiFilm! [Post with inline links at: http://sfslim.livejournal.com/20696.html ] http://sfslim.livejournal.com/18533.html http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/27/technology/business2_guidetospaceintro/ http://www.timeinc.net/b2/web/information/Pressroom/0,,editorial_team,00.html http://www.dailyblah.com/ http://www.dailyblah.com/2006/04/v-mf.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchmen http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowcrash

We interrupt this blog...

sfslim — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 17:34:46 GMT

We interrupt this blog for a moment of graphic design geekery. Last night was my first exposure to Gogol Bordello's new (?) "slingshot" logo (see above). Although simple, it is a highly effective image in that it is easily recognizable and well representative of the band's DIY/punk attitude. I also really appreciated how kinetic it is: whether you're conscious of it or not, there's simply no doubt that that (most likely red) star is gonna hit you right (left?) between the eyes. WHAM! Motion is a recurring trend in logo design, and something that many designers evidently struggle with, as I've rarely seen it done well. In contrast, the GB slingshot is nine months pregnant with motion, a tour bus full of kinetic energy all stored up in two feet of cheap Russian army surplus surgical tubing, and held taut by a mischievous thirteen-year-old, out breaking windows in a Krakow slum. It's tension without release, a two-panel comic strip in which we all get to write our own ending. It's a anarchic coat of arms, a DIY call to arms, and that's exactly what it should be. Either that, or it's just another logo. Your call.

Extra Slavic Marching Band

sfslim — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 17:31:38 GMT

It may be only March, but I'm ready to give out the show of the year award to Gogol Bordello, who utterly laid waste to Slim's last night, in an intensely manic, yet offhanded manner that seemed to say "THIS IS JUST WHAT WE FUCKING DO, OKAY?" I'd been meaning to catch GB live for a couple of years now, back when someone first hepped me to an upcoming performance of theirs at Cafe DuNord. (To which I likely replied "Google who?") I missed that show, and several that followed it, and regretted it every time. Finally, thanks to some friends who pay more attention to these things than I, and the logistical savvy of [info]headlouse and [info]spiderfiend I got my chance. And it totally rocked. Sort of reminded me of what The Pogues were like at their peak, with Eugene Hutz as a Ukrainian Shane MacGowan. As headlouse already reported, the energy that GB put out was incredible, inspiring - hell, demanding - a uproarious mosh pit, rolling and bouncing and pogo'ing through all but the slowest songs. And despite Slim's (no association) posted ban on crowd surfing, this surging, tidal mass was ridden frequently by audience and band alike, with members of the latter eventually climbing atop a large drum held by people in the pit. Soon, the audience was invited up onto the stage, and this trick was repeated there, lifting a sweat-slicked Hutz up to the rafters and the lighting grid. I can be something of a jaded fuck at times (though in my defense, it's mostly accidental; I'm more of an optimistic humanist by nature) but this show completely recalibrated my attitude. It was surely the first time in over a decade that I've experienced anything this chaotic, intense and pure anywhere outside of Black Rock City. And in fact, this was just the sort of unpredictable, impossibly high-energy performance that I've come to associate with Burning Man. Watching GB I found myself thinking "this sort of thing usually only happens on the playa." But it was happening at Slim's, a fairly whitebread venue even on its better days. It just goes to show the incomparable power of a great band, who are exactly in their moment and know it. And, better still, are punk enough (or for that matter, folk enough) to share that moment, to invite the audience into the party with them, without bullshit, borders or attitude. Seriously. Fucking. Great. [Post with inline links at: http://sfslim.livejournal.com/20042.html ] http://www.gogolbordello.com/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2AmAVuGc-4&search=gogol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8eURkYkeLw&search=gogol http://headlouse.livejournal.com/64354.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzsPXErxb2A&search=gogol

Your mission, should you choose to accept it...

sfslim — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 22:51:48 GMT

Attention all katzenjammers, hottentots, twists, straights, heebies and jeebies! SF0 is the new poo! You must all now go to www.sf0.org, sign up, and begin playing living. Fail to do this and you will be sad. Perhaps that sadness will not be immediately obvious to you, but it will be there nonetheless, deep and inelocutable, coloring all your future days a pale shade of blue. But what is SF0? From their website comes this: SF0: An interface for San Francisco. That is to say, a new representation for the data that's already there. Your mind is full of /inaccurate/ representations that are affecting the way you use the San Francisco dataflow: steering you away from interaction and collaboration and towards unproductive reflexive data loops (forNext). SF0 designers are working double-shifts to engineer this next-generation interface that will bring you together with your fellow San Franciscans to experience the freedom that is /hard-coded/ into San Francisco's protocol. So just what does THAT mean? SF0 is simply giving form to a game that many of us have been playing for years. The game of life reframed, reexamined, turned sideways, painted in clown makeup and ravished with peanut sauce in a chinatown back alley. The game of no-game, of making up your own ruls and your own experiences. Or making the normal abnormal, and the quotidian transcendent. The game of urban exploration. Of guerilla performance. Of dedicated, professional tomfoolery in plain view of all. SF0 is: - Community authored - Interactive - Transgressive - Perplexing - Playful - Competitive - Silly - Social SF0 is an "ARG" in which the alternate reality is this one, alchemically transmuted through new experiences and new ways of seeing. Or, to paraphrase a favorite sample from the archaic 80's: "SF0 is paranoid. SF0 is weird." I expect to see you all soon atop Sutro Tower!

Innocent (until proven guilty) Pleasures

sfslim — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 01:48:44 GMT

Confession time. Despite a deep, overriding aesthetic inclination towards foreign films, classics and obscure arthouse fare, I've long harbored an inexplicable prediliction for two plebian filmic genres: submarine movies and heist/con movies. Hook me up with a bucket of popcorn and some "Hunt for Red October" and I'm happy as a clam. "One ping only, Vasily." Gimme some "House of Games" with my Good and Plentys and I'm right as rain. "Quick Change", "U-571", "Heat", "Das Boot", "The Italian Job" (1969 version plz), "Ocean's Eleven" (2001 version kthx), "Crimson Tide", "Three Kings", "Reservoir Dogs", "Run Silent, Run Deep", "The Sting". The list goes on and on, and during long dark (and often rainy) days of the soul, I know that I can always find solace here, be it in the the clipped, tough guy dialog of David Mamet or the urgent repetition of nautical jargon. "Five degrees down bubble!" "Five degrees down bubble, aye!" Both genres are defined by formula, and bring with them the comfort of the familiar. Predictable elements arriving at or near scientifically proscribed times. The depth charge attack. Recruiting the gang. The uncontrolled descent to a depth well beyond the boat's rating. The rehearsal of the robbery. Evading a torpedo. The doublecross. Evading another torpedo. Yet another doublecross. I know these rhythms in my cells, and yet they've lost none of their power to thrill me, like that perfect rollercoaster that you want to ride over and over again, no matter how familiar its twists and loops have become. It should go without saying then that I am, on this dark and rainy day, eagerly and happily anticipating Spike Lee's heist movie "The Inside Man". In the realm of humble pleasures, there is little else I can think of that could make me happier, save for perhaps a combination submarine and heist movie. Should such a thing ever come to pass, the art form of cinema will truly have reached a certain zenith. So... who wants to come see "The Inside Man" with me?

A for Anarchy

sfslim — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 01:41:33 GMT

Caught a late showing of "V for Vendetta" last night with headlouse and spiderfiend and enjoyed it far more than I had expected to. To be sure, my expectations were very low, due both to the Wachowski's execrable sequels to The Matrix, and writer Alan Moore's strident disavowals of the film. Moore's key objections are the elimination of any mention of V as an anarchist, as well as the "de-fanging" of the fascist regime that V opposed. As Moore said in one interview, the film "sort of [recasts those extremes] as current American neo-conservativism vs. current American liberalism." While I certainly agree with him, and would have dearly loved to have seen V, a clearly anarchistic figure, openly referred to as such, I'm not sure that it makes the film less effective. In fact, by consistently (and sometimes awkwardly) referring to V as a "terrorist", the parallels to the current political environment are made more obvious and potentially more accessible to those who have not yet begun to question the authority or morality of the state, or the rationale behind active resistance to it. If "V for Vendetta" encourages such thought on any scale, especially among those who might not otherwise have considered it, I will count it as a Victory. Apparently I'm not the only one with this thought. A quick look on the internets turned up A for Anarchy, a website designed to reestablish V's true identity as an anarchist, and to answer basic questions about anarchist philosophy to curious moviegoers. It also features excellent sections of links for further anarchist info and some well-known direct action campaigns that people might choose to participate in. There is also a flyer [ front | back | both ] that YOU can print out and distribute at movie theatres. If all of this sounds too optimistic, please forgive me. I certainly realize that "V for Vendetta" is essentially just another piece of exploitative Hollywood crap, polished to a high sheen for mass consumption (read: purchase). But underneath that glossy exterior there beats a seditious heart, pumping blood both red and black, and whispering: "Remember, remember, the fifth of November..." [ NOTE: A version of this post with inline links intact can be found here: http://sfslim.livejournal.com/18533.html ] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Moore http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/12/movies/12itzk.html?ex=1299819600&en=dde707f88b70c9e5&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss http://www.comicon.com/thebeat/2006/03/a_for_alan_pt_1_the_alan_moore.html http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20060314074847304 http://aforanarchy.com/ http://homepage.mac.com/anon.csc/aforanarchy/images/flyer.zip