EPT
2. Foxes in Fiction - Swung From the Branches
Download it
Read something the artist wrote about it
Buy it on cassette (6 copies left I think)
Foxes in Fiction is a guy named Warren Hildebrand from Toronto, and this is his self-released debut album. The A-side (tracks 1-9) is warm ambient music, not what I'd normally listen to but very pleasant. If you like ambient stuff you might find it compelling.
Where Swung From the Branches really takes off though is its B-side, which could stand on its own as a decent bedroom pop album. I can't get over "15 Ativan" and "Memory Pools".
3. That Which Does Not Kill Me Makes Me Stranger
‘‘During race, I am going crazy, definitely,’’ he says, smiling in bemused despair. ‘‘I cannot explain why is that, but it is true.’’
The craziness is methodical, however, and Robic and his crew know its pattern by heart. Around Day 2 of a typical weeklong race, his speech goes staccato. By Day 3, he is belligerent and sometimes paranoid. His short-term memory vanishes, and he weeps uncontrollably. The last days are marked by hallucinations: bears, wolves and aliens prowl the roadside; asphalt cracks rearrange themselves into coded messages. Occasionally, Robic leaps from his bike to square off with shadowy figures that turn out to be mailboxes. In a 2004 race, he turned to see himself pursued by a howling band of black-bearded men on horseback.
‘‘Mujahedeen, shooting at me,’’ he explains. ‘‘So I ride faster.’’
The craziness is methodical, however, and Robic and his crew know its pattern by heart. Around Day 2 of a typical weeklong race, his speech goes staccato. By Day 3, he is belligerent and sometimes paranoid. His short-term memory vanishes, and he weeps uncontrollably. The last days are marked by hallucinations: bears, wolves and aliens prowl the roadside; asphalt cracks rearrange themselves into coded messages. Occasionally, Robic leaps from his bike to square off with shadowy figures that turn out to be mailboxes. In a 2004 race, he turned to see himself pursued by a howling band of black-bearded men on horseback.
‘‘Mujahedeen, shooting at me,’’ he explains. ‘‘So I ride faster.’’
This article is about Jure Robic, who is by far the world's best ultra-long-distance bicyclist (think biking across the US in 9 days, 2 hours of sleep each night). The article is a fascinating look into how our brains prevent us from realizing our full physical capabilities, and the power of mental toughness in competition.
4. The Baracuta jacket
![[image loading]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l25zojc4cw1qadhxco1_400.jpg)
Right now Baracuta is having a remarkable sale (over 50% off) on many varieties of its iconic jacket. Being June it's probably getting a bit too warm for a Baracuta, but if you pick one up now you'll appreciate it during next spring's chilly nights.
Boys wear hoodies, men wear jackets; the Baracuta is a fine example of why that doesn't have to mean "dressing up". And you simply can't go wrong wearing any of Steve McQueen's favorite duds.
Update: duckett points out that Baracuta is really sticking it to Americans by charging 30 GBP (30 fucking pounds yes) for shipping to the US. This I did not know! If you're not willing to pay that kind of premium for access to the original Baracuta, I recommend taking a look at this version by L.L. Bean Signature that's at a tasty sale price.
5. out_4_pizza
6. Google Chrome speed tests
Watch the making of (warning: sort of corny)
I finally made the switch from Safari to Chrome, and have been really impressed. Chrome is rough around the edges and doesn't support many of OS X's useful system-wide features, but it's damn speedy. Have any extensions to recommend?
7. Korallreven - The Truest Faith single
![[image loading]](http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/wp-content/media/2010/04/1_korallevenfrontcover.jpg)
Download it
Order the 7''
Just a single, but both tracks are great. Korallreven is the latest in a line of fantastic balearic pop acts out of Sweden (see also jj, Air France), two guys one of whom is The Radio Dept's keyboardist. Save these tracks for cruising around with the windows down this summer, and keep a lookout for their full-length debut.
8. Photos of stuff found in a Mexican drug lord's house
![[image loading]](http://i42.tinypic.com/ww1cmq.jpg)
get money
9. http://aloneinthecorner.com/
Alone in the Corner is a blog about the NBA written by a guy who bets on NBA games as his full-time job. I'm not a big basketball fan but I enjoyed reading some of his recent posts (they are poorly written but really content-rich).
Especially engrossing is his series analyzing the calls of Tim Donaghy, the official who was busted for betting on NBA games last year. Alone in the Corner does a great job of attacking Donaghy's claim that he never fixed games (see these three posts in particular).
10. MST3K on justin.tv
Mystery Science Theater 3000, 24/7/365. Boom shaka laka. (Looks like once every day an un-MST3Ked bad movie runs, so you and friends can add your own commentary.)
11. (World Cup bonus!) F "Write the Future", this is still the best soccer commercial around
back in time: IV III II I
