Up the Tree

  • !(photo)http://photos23.flickr.com/24288134_fcaecc54f4.jpg(bus)!:http://www.flickr.com/photos/timbradshaw/24288134/

    After the good news that London would hold the 2012 Olympics, this morning news came in that was not good. I’m not sure if it has anything to do with being a New Yorker, or that I have family and friends in London, or that after living through 9/11 here in NYC, or that I’m a human being but terrorism really disturbs me. It makes me really angry and upset.

    It’s hard to keep back the tears.

    This news of renewed terrorism attacks is particularly disconcerting as our bullshit war in the middle east rages on against Iraqis, whilst al-Qaeda who have taken responsibility for these attacks go on without reprimand. If we had our priorities in the right place from the beginning, this may never have happened.

    My heart goes out to all my fellow urbanites.

    p(update). All family and friends accounted for, Although my cousin was on the tube close to the attacks, but while shaken, is thankfully alright.

  • Download me - I'm a Podcast

    It’s the return of my pal Seth from Philadelphia to bring on a mixed show. It’s Tracks Up the Tree mixed with equal parts WHYME in a listener bonanza! Using only the best music put out by artists and labels on the internet.

    h4. Played on Todays Show:

    # Back Into The Wall – “Belaire”:http://www.myspace.com/belaire – First EP
    # “(mp3)Hypothesist”:http://www.novillero.net/Hypothesist.mp3 – “Novillero”:http://www.novillero.net/ – Demo
    # West Coast Keith – “Hisoft”:http://www.chocohearts.com/
    # “(mp3)Under The Hedge”:http://mp301.epitonic.com/streamed/files/reg/songs/mp3/Ted_Leo_And_The_Pharmacists-Under_The_Hedge.mp3 – “Ted Leo and The Pharmacists”:http://www.lookoutrecords.com/bands/band.php3?bnd_id=355
    # “(mp3)Scarlett Johansen Why Dont You Love Me”:http://savant.paintthesky.org/music/scarlett.mp3 – “The Jai Alai Savant”:http://www.thejaialaisavant.com/ – Thunderstatement EP
    # “(mp3)Father’s Son”:http://subpop.dev.slam.cc/downloads/free/You_are_a_Runner_and_I_Am_My_Fathers_Son313.mp3 – Wolf Parade – Songbook of Songs

    h4. Mentioned on Todays Show

    * Seth Comes to visit from “WHYME”:http://www.paintthesky.org/whyme
    * Podcast Meetup
    * -$15- 3 for $25 mics at “MUSICIAN’S FRIEND”:http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/277174/ (thanks Kieth)
    * History of Reingold
    * iRiver
    * West Coast East Coast
    * Notes from the Underground
    * Ted Leo English or Not
    * Bad band names
    * Celebrity talk about Tony Danza
    * *Link of the Week* “Go Fug Yourself”:http://www.gofugyourself.com/

  • I’ve received a lot of e-mails, over the past few months, on the subject of podcasting and the legal ramifications of playing non “podsafe” music. I thought I would put together this post to open any doors and serve as a resource for anyone thinking of starting a podcast. Should you have any questions feel free to leave a comment.

    Ben,

    I listened to your podcast last night on my drive home. I loved it.

    I’ve been wanting to do a music podcast with the stuff that I listen to for some time, but was under the impression that I couldn’t. Then, I hear music that I know and love on your podcast, and realize that the stuff I like might be podcastable after all.

    But then I read about the ASCAP license that you paid (“for the cost of an iPod…”). I’d be more than willing to do that to create my own podcast, but then I see that not all the music I like is under ASCAP. For instance, if I wanted to play a Shins song on my podcast, I couldn’t do that because they are not under the ASCAP license.

    So are you not able to play a Shins song? Or do you pay multiple licenses (to BMI and ASCAP)? Is this just something you pay out of your own pocket? How much did the whole venture cost you to start?

    I’m trying to find out this information through research, but nothing’s clear.

    I want to do this, but I’m not a rich man, nor am I an IP attorney.

    Any advice?

    Matt

    (more…)

  • !(photo left)https://www.upthetree.com/wp-uploads/comart.gif(Communication Arts)!:http://www.commarts.com/CA/ Well all this weblog nonsense has finally paid off as I have gotten my first real writing gig with “Communication Arts.”:http://www.commarts.com/CA/ I will be co-writing the article with the Design Issues Editor “DK Holland,”:http://www.dkholland.com/ which is great as I really need some help from a professional.

    The article will be a 6 page look into the world of professional design weblogs and photoblogs and their effect on… well I haven’t written that bit yet, but I’ll be sure to link to the article once it’s published. It’s good, because I was looking for something to take up that one minute of free-time I had at the end of the week.

    I feel much better now that I know I will only have the time in the shower to myself.

  • This is for everybody who thinks that George W. Bush doesn’t spend enough time of sex education. Apparently NASA has had a secret project to create the worlds first robo-dong. JFK had nothing on this.

    http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/mpeg/115084main_ballerina.mpeg

    Unfortunately, this webpage on the project sheds little light on what the hell is happening in the highly suggestive video.

    The ballerina gracefully dances on a small stage. She is followed not by a male partner, but by a robotic arm manipulator that seems to sense her every move. For Goddard technologist Vladimir Lumelsky, the performance captured on the videotape neatly shows the future of robotics.

    So is *that* what our tax dollars pay for?!