dansolomon:

I’ve seen so many moving tributes to Esme Barrera this week, often written by people I care about, who are absolutely devastated by the loss of their dear friend. I never got to know her, which — after reading about what a wonderful person she was from people whose opinions on matter a lot — makes…

This is a nice thing. As usual, Dan writes something I’d been thinking about. 

December 21, 2011. Tired. (Taken with instagram)

dansolomon:

Last night, I got word from someone close to the festival that Chaos In Tejas would no longer be featuring Disma, the New Jersey death metal supergroup whose lead singer’s was still endorsing his white power side project as recently as last summer.

I haven’t heard anything from the band or the festival directly — frankly, I’m not sure any of them are still talking to me at this point — but the source on this is very confident that this is a fact, and I hope that it is. I’d very much like to be able to write about how this Austin music festival that I have always really liked is a leader in taking a no Nazis allowed stance. (NPR hasn’t yanked down its Disma page yet, you know?)

Creeping acceptance of this stuff happens when you don’t take a stand. Most of the people I’ve talked to about this, or whom I’ve read comments from on blogs, cite the fact that Disma is on a well-regarded label (Profound Lore — also not answering questions right now) and has a respected member of a few hardcore bands involved, as proof that there can’t really be a problem. Everyone tends to take a “well, if they were really that bad, someone else would have said something” approach to this. That’s why Chaos In Tejas dropping the band is such a big deal — they get to be the someone else who said something. It is not a really fun position to be in, but it’s important.

I’ve learned — and been told — over the past week that this is just kind of an accepted thing in certain underground metal scenes. That there are apolitical bands and Nazi bands, and the apolitical bands may sometimes play shows or put out records with the Nazis, but it’s just kind of an acceptable lifestyle choice here, like being vegan. That’s scary for a lot of reasons, and I am really eager to receive confirmation from Chaos In Tejas that they’re standing against that. Someone has to.

lemoniceforever:

I recently got into a messageboard argument about Skyrim¹ when I should have been working. It led, more or less directly, to an opportunity to do this. Let that be a lesson to you.

¹Skyrim isn’t a good game, per se. It’s just really, really good at having and displaying all the big obvious signposts people have for a “good game,” much the same way that strong Oscar contenders can always be seen from a mile away. That said, if you need me I’m going to stay in tonight and forge a million iron daggers in order to get my Smithing skill up to 100.

All the cool kids write for Paste. 

tuffstuf:

TIMELINE!

Further proof that Alex Barrett is brilliant.

goingforpicture:

OH.

MY.

GOD.

What I would have done to have been an Assistant Director on that shoot!

Brilliant. Pranksterism might look silly from the outside of a movement, but IT’S ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT CONSISTENTLY GETS MEDIA COVERAGE THAT ISN’T ABOUT VIOLENCE, and it’s a brilliant reminder of the possibilities any direct action movement is trying to actualize. Turn the world upside down in a joyful way.

fuckyoulizprince:

thekittencovers:

Elvis Catstello and Elvis Purresley

This Year’s Meowdel!!!!

I AM A SUCKER FOR ELVIS AND KITTENS

npr:

scribnerbooks:

discoverynews:

Hemingway looks like his cat. That’s all.

right?

nprfreshair:

‘Occupy:’ Geoff Nunberg’s 2011 Word Of The Year

(via npr)