surprise

Imagine my surprise to see this beauty at the edge of my roof.
What the hell is it?






















Looking to spend a couple of dollars? The new Dirtbombs 7 is limited to 200 copies and available from Infirmary Phonographic, American Laundromat has a couple copies of The Pixies Tribute 7" and a limited Gore Gore Girls single can be pre-ordered at the bellyache candy shoppe. And don't forget a free 7” if you preorder Smile from insound.

I feel kind of bad that wind energy was left out of my barrage yesterday, so here is a slice of news from a Portland Press Herald piece about Saco, ME and their wind turbine. This single 1.2M (assumed) piece of equipment was completed last month but the darned wind has not cooperated to meet the town's pathetically low goal of saving $13K per year (90K kw/h). The barely spinning blade has only generated about $200 worth of electricity so far but one local resident still believes it was a good deal. Gil of nearby Transalvania tried to stay positive by glowingly stating: "She may not work well but she sure is pretty."

the solar scam

This solar energy subsidy giveaway has got to stop but I’m not surprised to read how the game is played. Venture capitol lobbyists go to state law writers to try and force National Grid to buy any energy they produce at 6 times the going rate for the next 20 years. We pay about .8 cents per kw/h (most normal house cost about $1,200 per year (15,000 kw/h) but they want users to pay .48 cents per hour for their ‘special’ energy. Do you get it? They figure out all the costs, overhead, permitting, payoffs and bonuses for the next twenty years and divide it by 20 years = amount they charge users. All Guaranteed.

The ethanol scam is even better. The government pays farmers to stop growing food and plant corn. Not only is it completely destroying the Mississippi with dangerous chemicals but our own food prices our now rising to compound all our problems. But at least all you idiots believe the earth feels better. The march toward income redistribution continues.

The Gutter Twins rocked Letterman with Idle Hands.




Solid Mail This Week including this Guided By Voices test press Briefcase 2 with original artwork proof signed by Robert Pollard, Relaxation Test Press and Edison Demos also signed. A rare sealed longbox copy of Mother Love Bone’s (pearl jam members) only cd with bonus disc. OOP numbered LP’s of Elliott Smith’s XO and Figure 8.

I’ve been selling to raise funds for a number of projects this spring but there’s so much good stuff to buy. Including new LP’s from Southern Lord and The Raconteurs. Here is their very cool video.

cantilevers

Plenty of cantilevers on this framing.

water view

Just another example for fine-tuning good design.

bristol house

The beginning of a mcmansion + in-law.

norwood design

Here is a large remodel for a house in Ma that wants to add square footage and an in-law.

watertown sunroom

Here is a proposed sunroom for a pub in Watertown, MA.

shingle style on beach

Here are some of the projects that have passed my desk over the last few weeks. This house on the water down The Cape required me to create a virtural beach, which isn't as easy as it sounds.

blitz

Can’t believe it’s been over three weeks since I posted. I’ve worked on some really good designs and got a couple of new jobs, more on that tomorrow. Hopefully I can get the energy to get some steam off my chest while head-down, focused on getting a head start on the Spring.

Robert Pollard of Guided By Voices fame just launched a March Madness Sale to raise funds for the Miami Valley Housing Opportunities P.A.T.H. Program. Helping the homelessness in Montgomery County, Ohio. For $150 I got three items. Two from page 8 and one from page nine but your going to have to wait to find out what the items are. Everything sold out fast.

Two Of Montreal LP’s have been re-issued on color vinyl at Polyvinyl. Sunlandic Twins on blue and yellow vinyl and Satanic Panic in the Attic on white vinyl.

I purchased, and now own the rights to, three unpublished Kurt Cobain photos. I got them from the original photographer who took them on November 12, 1993 at the George Wallace Civic Center in Springfield, MA. If you missed Vampire Weekend on last week’s SNL give these guys a chance.

Here’s my list of the top 10 things to say to your friend when you see their band play live and they suck. Big Time.
10.) “It sounds really good and balanced out front.”
9.) “You guys seemed really into it, keep it up.”
8.) "You could start a cult with that shit."
7.) "I love the way you've broken free of your influences."
6.) "Your bass player was really HOLDING IT DOWN ."
5.) "You guys sounded really good from downstairs" and/or "You guys have gotten a lot better"
4.) “You were very professional when the sound guy cut your sound.”
3.) “it's weird that you guys had to open”
2.) "Man, I'm SO wasted right now...How was your set?"

and the #1 thing I like to say: “I heard Nester’s band needs a bass player”

Right there, but not making the list:
"You can tell you guys listen to really good music."
"You guys really knew the shit out of your songs."
"Jesus you guys suck"
"These bozos just don't get you bro."
Many thanks to chunklet for making my afternoon roar.