A Mess at the Mall:

Jeez, what a mess this is. Man registers domain name to promote new mall in his neighborhood. Mall sues man for using the name of their mall in website. Legal foolishness ensues and, nearly 2 years  later, Mall ends up paying man for his trouble and doesn't get domain name anyway. Was it worth it? (via Dan Gillmor) 

Wu-Tang and You:

In case you always wanted your own Wu-Tang Clan name (via my buddy Justin).

You may now refer to me as "Foolish Worlock."

Books I'm Excited About #1: Can't Stop Won't Stop by Jeff Chang

Note: I get a lot of books sent to me in the mail and usually am either a) not impressed or b) confused and not sure what to do with them. So I'm going to do an occasional feature herebouts where I highlight new books that I probably haven't read  yet but have peaked my interest.

Title: Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation

Author: Jeff Chang

Relationship: Friends and mutual admirers. I've followed Jeff's work for a few years now. We've hung out once and have several friends and project interests in common.

Synopsis: A political and social history of hip-hop. Intro by pioneering DJ Kool Herc.

Acquired: Beginning of the month from Booksmith, my neighborhood joint.

Why I'm excited: Been looking forward to another history-of-hip-hop book to read since loving Nelson George's Hip-Hop America a few years ago and giving several copies of it as gifts. Jeff and I met right as he was wrapping up edits. I've been following his tour notes on his blog and though, I haven't been free to attend his events, I've been more than eager to dive into his book. And let you all know about it.

Oh and if you need to know, the reviews have been killer. And Kool Herc, who wrote the introduction was on Fresh Air this afternoon.

Prelim Verdict: It's next in my reading queue.

David Byrne on your Radio Dial:

The former Talking Heads frontman has started a streaming radio station. Looks good (via Susan Mernit).

Rules of Ping Pong:

I've never really known the rules of Ping-Pong, until looked and found them. I have no idea where you can play it publicly here in San Francisco but I bet these folks do.

Your Legal Music Collection:

I'm normally not this law abiding but my friend Alex Wellen, author and recovering IP attorney, has put together this guide as to precisely what is legal or not-so about copying and moving around your digital music.

Black Men Stealing Chairs:

Okay, does anyone not get why Dave is stealing chairs? There's kind of an explanation in this post (scroll to bottom).

Remembering the Triangle Factory Fire:

Friday was the annivesary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. On the afternoon of March 25, 1911, fire broke out at the Asch building, a garment factory at Green St. and Washington Place in lower Manhattan owned by the Triangle Waist Company. Like many of the sweatshops of its day, the facility had poor ventilation, dangerous machinery, few if any safety standards and a single exit where management-hired guards would inspect employees on their way home ostensibly to cut down on theft. Other doors remained locked from the outside during the work day.

When fire engulfed the factory's lower floor, it trapped employees--overwhelmingly young, female and from Italian and Jewish emigrant familes--inside. Many leaped to their death from the roof, others burned inside. Although the building was fireproof and the fire department arrives within 15 minutes to put out the blaze, 146 works, nearly 30% of the total force at Triangle had died. It is considered one of the worst disasters in American labor history.

The tragedy served as a clarion call for the American labor movement and in the insuing years, garment worker membership soared and workplace safety standards were lobbied for and achieved. Nonetheless, sweatshops persist, even the offshore-happy American market of the early 21st century. Free The Slaves, a Washington D.C.-based activist organization reports that 27 million people live in near-enslavement throughout the world today, primarly by their employers. An estimated 50,000 enslaved persons live in the United States, many as non-unionized farm workers and domestics.

While we argue endlessly over whether our economic system can or cannot avoid trafficking in human misery, I'd like to think that we, as citizens and consumers, would make intelligent choices about supporting such practices if adequate education and labelling existed. Maybe it does and I'm just not aware of it. But that sounds like exactly the problem.

A google search on "Sweatshop free clothes" lists quite a number of options at prices roughly equal to  The Gap. American Apparel is one of the nation's largest producer of T-shirts (of significantly higher quality and comfort by my experience) and runs a sweatshop-free factory in downtown Los Angeles and is expanding to retail stores throughout North America. Triangle:  The Fire that Changed America is an excellent book on the subject.

My Love Affair with Jet Blue:

My love affair with Jet Blue continues. I had booked a JetBlue flight from JFK to Oakland that I was supposed to conclude my marathon road trip today. However, having been gone for so long and having a light end-of-trip schedule, I decided to rebook and get another flight home a day early.

Not only did the JetBlue representative on the phone work for 20 minutes to get me an aisle seat at the time I wanted but called me back 20 minutes later to ask if I prefered the same seat on a flight earlier that day. And the flight itself? A joy. Well, as much as being trapped in a flying metal tube for six hours can be.

When I fly, I care about two things: Am I physically comfortable and am I staving off bordemn? Prices can fluctuate and an airline with inconvienent arrival and departue times won't get my business. But far far too little concern is paid to comfort once the passanger is actually onboard (it's only a single, vaugely worded entry on the Travellers Bill of Rights). So what matters to me when I fly is this: Would I be just as comfortable, just as entertained if I had to sit on the same seat in the hallway of my apartment building for six hours?

JetBlue doesn't serve meals but I've always been content to bring my own and eat like an adult instead of a kindergardner in a cafeteria. They've also got these little Direct TV sets on the back of each chair which can entertain you endlessly. I watched 4 hours of VH1 specials including Black in the 80s which actually gave me a glimmer of an idea for my next book. Finally, every seat is leather which (I don't know why), seems to make them more comfortable than the average airline fabric seat.

Did I mention that the JetBlue terminal at JFK has free WiFi and a row of outlets where you can plug in your laptop? As opposed to the idiotic WiFi policy at my local airport which esssentially asks you to be anally violated by T-Mobile for the priviledge of checking your email before takeoff.

The ton I fly will be going up exponentially this summer with my book tour and comfort will be key. JetBlue has my loyalty because they are the first airline in years to do anything towards earning it.

Last Audio Dispatch From the Road:

Wherein we say goodbye to the road, head home to San Francisco and ponder the color beige.


MP3 File