The Page 43 Rule

Posted March 8, 2010 by Handcancel himself
Categories: Books

Tags:

Whenever I’m at the library or bookstore deciding what to take out or buy, I use the page 43 rule to help narrow a short stack down to one or two. I’ll simply open to page 43, read from the top and see which ones grab my interest the most. I’m sure different readers have their own rules to help with the same thing, but the page 43 rule is a good one- give it a try next time.

NY: Radical Problem Radical Solution

Posted March 4, 2010 by Handcancel himself
Categories: Politics

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I try to steer clear of political stuff here but I couldn’t resist reaching out to freshly minted New York gubernatorial hopeful Kristin Davis to offer my support and audio professional services on the journey to her big day on Tuesday, November 2, 2010.

Please contact me directly at handcancel @ g mail . com to inquire about event planning services, radio spot production, live broadcast operation, and advanced research expertise. I look forward to working with your campaign!

hXc

Handcancel: “Musical Everything Bagel”

Posted March 2, 2010 by Handcancel himself
Categories: Internet, Music

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In creating some of the press materials for my upcoming release Handcancel Presents Stone Souped I was often caught stretching to define my style in one clear sentence. I did come up with one great description for my album; A musical everything bagel! I Googled the phrase “musical everything bagel”, and it led me to a Village Voice article with Naomi Shelton where she describes her act Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens and their mix of Gospel and club funk as “…like the everything bagel—you throw in a little of this and a little of that”. I immediately went to her Myspace and was blown away by how great they sounded, also a little embarrassed that I was late to the party discovering Shelton- especially since she’s on Daptone, and also from Brooklyn. If you’re like me you have about 8 notebooks of different shapes and sizes filled with ideas, groups of words, phrases, lyrics and other brain spill- if you throw some of your “original” ideas into an internet search it can be almost a little magic way of discovering others who are thinking like you conceptually. Now I can’t say the bagel thing or I’ll be biting- instead I’m blogging.

Shout out to all my musical everything bagel enjoyers!

The Fascinating Cueva de los Cristales

Posted February 17, 2010 by Handcancel himself
Categories: Science

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Why is this chap dressed in an X-Wing fighter pilot suit, and sounding short of breath?

Because he’s in Chihuahua Mexico’s famous Cueva de los Cristales (Cave of Crystals) with a film crew doing a bit for BBC’s How The Earth Made Us series. Deep in the Naica mine, home of the cueva featuring the largest natural crystals ever found, there’s virtually 100% humidity- so the suit is actually a cooling unit equipped with a breathing system that feeds cool, dry air into a mask (your lungs). Go without the mask for longer than 10 or so minutes and you’re a goner- slip and fall deep into the crystal mine and it’d take a miracle to rescue you. The whole camera, lighting & production crew had to use these suits, while heart rates climbed to 180 upon exit. The result was some priceless footage of what geologists deem to be the most extraordinary discovery of its kind. Read more about it here.

Figured since they risked their butts to grab some closeups of mother earth’s deep inner beauty that I’d repost -hXc

Handcancel Presents Stone Souped

Posted February 9, 2010 by Handcancel himself
Categories: New Music

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…What was I going to blog post about… I can’t remember…

(glances at cheat sheet)

OH YEAH my new compilation album Handcancel Presents Stone Souped ! I’m almost done with it, and am shooting for an April 2010 release. Expect another multi-styled rhythmic romp like my last project Handcancel Presents Sampeloco with a crazy collection of artists & flavors that only I could roll together in one fat digital spliff! Stay tuned for more details- this jam is going to bust  the  house  down! -hXc

Eco-Friendly Fitness Grows in Brooklyn

Posted February 8, 2010 by Handcancel himself
Categories: Community, Design, Environment, Health, Nutrition, Recreation

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Had to snap a fresh shot of this unique bike rack before some losers put stickers on & write all over it like they do everything else in NYC:

Nice Rack! (Patent Pending)

The lock rack made from old frames resides outside the new Green Fitness Studio on Varet Street in Brooklyn- the first full featured “green” health & fitness center of it’s kind . Not only have they adhered to environmentally friendly, sustainable building & operation practices, but most of the equipment and decor is painted a healthy simpatico shade of green! I’d like to thank Barry and Meg for the tour and day passes. I, the ever-skeptic and full-time cynic was pleasantly impressed with the layout, though I’m more into the barbells and not Reiki- market wants, market gets- being well is the unifying theme.

The Sour Grapes of Comment Galleries

Posted February 5, 2010 by Handcancel himself
Categories: Internet, Ranting, Video

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The overall mood of Internet comment galleries seems to have taken a turn for the worst since I hid in this bathroom at a boring dinner party many months ago:

The mostly harmless illiterate sociopaths from Youtube and music site galleries have come out from under the bridge, spell checked their mini-missives and added a fetid teabaggy political edge so today when I’m reading articles on Yahoo News, The Boston Globe site and other major outlets and see hundreds of comments below an article on say, today’s job report- and 95% are bitter, angry, evil and some borderline domestic terrorist threatening- I can only hope these probably unemployed rage-mongers are blasting out resumes between leaving nuclear comments under said stories- hXc

Get Your Energy Flakes

Posted January 29, 2010 by Handcancel himself
Categories: Health, Humor, Video

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Good morning. I have invented a new breakfast combo that anyone can prepare & enjoy quickly with basic supermarket items!

Blending Samples from Tape

Posted January 28, 2010 by Handcancel himself
Categories: Gear, Humor, Video

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Play That Funky D-Beam Handcancel

Posted January 24, 2010 by Handcancel himself
Categories: Music

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I got to DJ between sets of Chris Gogan’s band My Cousin The Emperor last Friday. After the show/party there was some open mic improv type stuff happening on stage (and drunk people in the room)- I had my SP-606 in the booth so I couldn’t resist rocking a little unplanned D-Beam action. I’ve been working on the Handcancel solo routine lately and it was fun to noodle on the club system from back of house. Got lots of fresh ideas- Stay tuned!