Links for a lazy Saturday...

Feelin' lazy... not going anywhere today... spending time with Olly and the girls... Thought I'd share some links:

First off... one of my fav blogs :: Boing Boing :: has started a daily video podcast called Boing Boing TV - I haven't watched it yet... but am eager to do so. I like the randomness of their posts from Sci-Fi to creative commons... from personal freedom to general silliness...

I don't pretend everything will be suitable for everyone... but if the podcast represents the best of the blog then it will be funny... and possibly thought-provoking.

Another blog that is thought-provoking is :: Revolution in Jesusland :: which describes itself as "a guided tour for secular progressives of America's Fourth Great Awakening". Here's more...

This blog is a plea to the progressive movement, to take another look and get to know the diverse and complex world of evangelical Christianity in its own terms. Here you’ll find interviews, commentary, analysis and other dispatches from all over “Jesusland.” This tour will explore everything from the workings of the local church, to the evangelicals’ vibrant, decentralized national leadership training infrastructure to theological questions such as, “How in the world DO they read the Bible literally?” and “Do they really think I’m going to hell?”

There are two really big reasons to come along on this tour:

First, progressives will never achieve their goals as long as they are hostile toward and ignorant about the faith of 100 million of their own people who are born again Christians.

Second (and we know how difficult this is to believe) there is an incredibly large and beautiful social movement exploding among evangelicals right now that stands for nearly all of the same causes and goals that secular progressives do. Those goals include: eliminating poverty, saving the environment, promoting justice and equality along racial, gender and class lines and for immigrants—and even separation of church and state.

Now... I don't pretend to understand American politics... as much as I don't pretend to understand American Evangelicals... or Evangelicals for that matter... but this blog does highlight the similarities we share... and anything that takes the name of Jesus back from the Right Wing Nutters, has to be a worthwhile exercise. Check it out.

While on the subject of America... I love GridSkipper's recommendations. Don't think I'll get to NYC for a while... certainly not with my work... but I collect all their recommendations for places to see and things to do. The burger joints featured look fab. In fact... I could go a burger right now.

Thought this looked interesting... Tim Yu over at my fav blog ever CoolHunting talks about urban croquet - looks like it could become the next ping pong with Adidas introducing a specialised Croquet shoe and everything.

Go here :: www.a-kaiserwerth.com :: for more details.

Personally, I like the appropriation and recontextualisation of the traditional into new concepts... I like to think of it as progress. I like this. There is something punk rock about playing croquet in George Square... Nice!

A totally random link now... CreateSpace is an online self-publishing space for writers and musicians that has links with Amazon to help you pimp your product... without the downside of holding inventory. Way forward... and something I am looking into for Olly.

Last link for this post... One of my fav musicians: Cousin Silas from the fantastic netlabel Earth Monkey Productions was interviewed on Ballardian. The blog is all about the work and influence of the writer J.G. Ballard and they focus on Cousin Silas' fab work :: Ballard Landscapes (1 & 2). Nice read that provides real insight into his work... which I highly rate as awesome pieces of ambient electronica and found sound. Nice.