noinput.net | plug it in

It’s a good feeling to know I was part of the cause. In more ways then one. Funny when you get mad that you don’t have any room left on your credit card to buy a $1,200 toy, but when all the red cross needs is $5 to give someone a blanket, the world seems to make just a little more sense.

Dear Jim,

One year ago we watched Katrina’s deadly swirl in the Gulf, and its pounding landfall that erased entire coastlines and devastated millions of lives.

You watched this humanitarian crisis unfold, and what did you do?  You acted. You donated…and your gift helped us mobilize caring people to deliver crucial Red Cross relief to millions of people suffering throughout the Gulf region—vital support like hot meals, safe shelter, blankets, a shoulder to cry on…Thank you again for your act of kindness.

Right now we’re preparing for flooding and power outages from Ernesto’s landfall. But at the same time we’re on other disaster scenes, and providing countless critical services locally, nationally and globally.

We need your help to ensure that we have the resources, talent and ability to respond to disasters, and continue to help Americans prevent, prepare for and respond to life’s other emergencies.

…

Without the support of friends and neighbors like you, the Red Cross wouldn’t be able to respond to disaster and provide other lifesaving services like health and safety training and emergency communications between military members and their families. This past year alone, we trained 11 million people in CPR, first aid and other lifesaving skills, and provided nearly half of the nation’s blood supply.

…

Sincerely,

Kathleen E. Loehr
Senior Vice President, Development

Postman suspended for telling customers how to stop junk mail

This man deserves some sort of award IMHO, anyone who fight’s the man like this is awesome. I love the last part in this snip.

When postman Roger Annies told residents on his round how to avoid junk mail he considered it part of customer service.

But bosses at the Royal Mail - which makes millions of pounds a year from unwanted post - were less than impressed with his dedication.

They immediately suspended the 48-year-old father of two, who has worked as a postman for the more than 10 years, and he is now facing the sack.

Mr Annies decided to act after receiving dozens of complaints from householders who were fed up with the piles of junk mail dropping through their letter boxes everyday.

So, hoping he may have the answer to their prayers, he delivered his own leaflet to residents in Barry, South Wales, explaining how they could opt out of getting mailshots known as ‘door-to-door’ items by filling out a form.

I wonder if I tape a sign that says “Post No Bills” to the front of my mailbox if Best Buy and my CC companies will comply too? hhhmmmmmmmm…. *shrug*

Was rummiging though some saved articles in my bloglines account and rememberd how awesome this roundup was a week or two ago, a top ten of the best beat-making videos.

1. Here is Masaaki (aka Anchorsong) from Tokyo, playing live with an MPC2000 and a Triton keyboard, building the tracks as he goes along. More great clips here and here.
2. Here is Daltron from Melbourne, playing an incredible live drum solo on the MPC4000 (it’s a MySpace video. I’d say it’s worth typing in your password, but not worth registering specially…)
3. Here is Pete Rock sampling, remixing and singing along with ‘Love is a Battlefield’
4. In this report on an Atlanta beat battle, there’s no live MPC action, but it provides several answers to the age-old question: ‘What the hell kind of face am I supposed to pull when my music is playing on big speakers, people are listening, and I don’t have any gear to fiddle with?’
5. Here is the old-school version - making beats on an Emu SP-1200. Love the sliders.
6. Here is DJ Shadow talking about his ancient MPC60, the machine he made ‘Endtroducing’ on. The clip has cruddy sound and Shadow always comes across as pretty irritating, but it’s history.
7. Here, speaking the international language of Akai, is French producer 20Syl, with a step-by-step guide to making laid-back MPC/Rhodes/Loops hip hop for expensive Parisian bars.
8. Here is Just Blaze putting together a big horn sample and some beats. It’s nice to see that even big name producers spend most of their time stroking their chin thinking: ‘Hmm… This sounds OK, but what am I going to do next?’
9. Here, DJ Quik talks eloquently and at great length about his custom MPC3000.
10. If you’ve actually read all the way to the bottom of this list, then here is a treat to say thanks.

hat tip -> via 16pads)

Amazing what you can find at Cost-Plus.

hat tip -> bradyfor the find.

Amazing collection of 80’s commercials all for download. Talk about bringing back some memories, grab ‘em now while they’re hot.

Now this is pretty awesome. You’ve probably seen that crazy shot of the inkblot where after you stare at it for long enough and close your eyes you see a picture of Jesus, or the tweaked american flag that turns into the right colors. Looks like someone figured out the photoshop steps to do just that. Check it out.

Someone really needs to take this guy out back and put him out of his misery. For a minute during his little “show” I felt bad for being white because of this guy. Ohh man, what a production.