no, my name's not jerry, it's MIKE JONES
read on for random ramblings on graphic design, creativity,
and marketing from an Arizona creative
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Alice & DiggNation
and here's a shameless plug for Dash Cooper's band, Runaway Phoenix. Check them out too!
And if you missed my plug for Digg.com a couple weeks ago, here's a great way to check out the best of Digg.com, weekly. One of the founders of Digg.com, Kevin Rose, and "The Screensaver's" last co-host (before G4TV got stupid and cancelled the best show ever), Alex Albrecht put together a weekly podcast and vidcast discussing some of the top stories dugg by users at Digg.com. If you don't want to wade through tons of links on Digg.com and get only the good stuff, check them out. Besides that they're funny. Definitely a highlight of my week!
Oh, my band "Sunday Morning Drive" is officially tech savvy. We've got an official website up so head over there and check out the new music posted, find out about our upcoming shows, leave a comment on our message board, and buy a T-shirt (only $15!!!). And if you're into myspace.com we're on there as well so add us as your friend. now. do it now.
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Pretty Bees
First up: Digg.com
This is by far the best tech and news social bookmarking site out there. Every post is "dugg" or rated by members and the highest rated make it to the main site. Check it out. If you are or become a member you can check out all the stuff I've dugg by looking up my profile under "mickdaddy" (I'm super original with ALL my online profiles).
Next: some sweet pics of bees
This site features insect photography. Craziest thing is that this guy made a rig for his camera that when set off by an insect's movement it auto takes a picture of it. Super-macro pics of bees and such in flight. Pretty cool.
Third: Wallpapers
Some pretty cool wallpapers for your desktop
Fourthly: Google Talk
Google just released their new instant messenger program. Its free, has a clean design, and NO ADS! Doesn't have a lot of the extra features like AOL's does but give it time. I highly reccommend downloading this one. The more people who download it and use it now, the more likely they are to add those extra features as well as continue to push for interoperability with AIM, MSN, and Yahoo clients.
Fifth: Sweet Panoramas
Site collecting some sweet panoramic photography
Sixth: Shark v. Octopus
Video of a shark being taken out by an octopus. Pretty cool.
Finally: OpenOffice 2.0
Get it! Stop buying new upgrades for Microsoft Office and use this great, FREE alternative. Has programs that create spreadsheets, word documents, slide show presentations, and databases. The programs are all compatible with Microsoft documents and will save them to the same file type so all your friends and colleauges still using expensive Microsoft software can view your files.
That's it for now. Read, link up, and share.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
oh man.
this quote came from an article written for RelevantMagazine.com
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
you can't say I gave up!
DMB Rocks!
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
where am i?
first up is a sweet flash site with this crazy picture that you can zoom in on for like 2 minutes. go ahead, you know you want to check it out!
then there's a cool collection of clips from the Simpsons. yay for wasting more time!
here's my final project for my graphic design class. nothin' fancy but check it out if you want.
a cool Beck video.
and a sweet forum of digital art. there's some way cool stuff in here.
that's it. i'm done. check y'all later.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
NY is hilarious!
Friday, April 01, 2005
a little shortcut
Thursday, March 17, 2005
flash vid sweetness
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Videoing the Music
Friday, March 11, 2005
An MTV Africa
Relevant Magazine has a great online article on it.
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Follow-up
Letter to ‘Frontline’ in response to episode on the music industry. I think it pretty well spells out what we’ve talked about as a band about our philosophy of business.
Dear FRONTLINE,
'I felt that your program "The Way the Music Died" was a very good look at the way that major record labels do business today. However, I take issue at the scope of your broadcast. By focusing on the elements of the music industry that are in decline, you paint a picture which is not entirely indicative of the industry itself.
As a fan of what some term "jam" music, I follow bands such as Phish and Widespread Panic, who have developed large touring bases. From this, I have discovered dozens of bands who make their living under the radar of major labels and corporate radio. These are bands not supported by MTV, and yet through hard work, determination, and talent have managed to pack clubs and arenas and make quite a killing.
I feel that this sort of existence will become the norm for musicians, with touring revenues quickly outpacing record sales, until eventually CDs will become loss leaders, selling at a few bucks apiece. Recordings themselves will become mere advertising for bands outside the corporate system. When an artist comes to town, there will be several thousand people, who picked up the recordings for a dollar or two or even stole them off of the Internet, lined up to pay 30 dollars for a concert ticket, with most of that money going into the hands of the musicians who make the music rather than the stuffed shirts who sell it. In fact, Dave Matthews Band is already following this model, making much more on touring than they are making in recording royalties.'
John Emery
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
music review
Monday, March 07, 2005
one more thing...
In Between Dreams
if you haven't seen it, heard it, bought it, or smelled it you MUST go pick up a copy of Jack Johnson's new album, 'In Between Dreams!' it kicks some serious butt and is by far his best album to date. get it. now. RIGHT NOW. I don't care if its 1:30 in the morning. get it.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
uh huh, yeah
typorganism.com - a cool site showcasing the usage of type with some cool flash applications
neat site giving a great, enjoyable tutorial on color and its usage in art and design
can't remember if I linked this one already or not, but I'll do it again anyway! its a great tech news site, with daily listing of links to anything and everything tech related, from articles on Microsoft's continuing take-over of the world to great deals on hardware and other great picks from sites across the web. digg.com
article on how Microsoft is going to "checkmate" its competitors by invading the consumer electronics market.
that's it for tonight.
oh, reminder that we're playing @ Cooper'stown this Friday. Whole show kicks off at 7pm, we're on at like 9-10ish. I'll be seeing you there.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
and the good stuff just keeps on comin'
-Website of a Brazilian designer who's worked on a lot of commercials and videos. speciallizes in lots of vector work in his vids. www.nakd.tv
-great interactive site that allows you draw with words. be sure to check out the monthly 'best picks'. www.storyabout.net/typedrawing
-friends Isaac Rentz posted his short film 'Fidel' on his website! check it out. www.isaacrentz.com
-best free photoshop brushes website. www.8nero.net/brushes
-official website of Mattew Mahon, photographer. sweet flash layout! www.matthewmahon.com
p.s. - SMD has shows coming up on March 4th @ Cooper'stown, 10pm, and at Minder Binders (in Tempe) on March 11th. Both are $5 ($5 presale for Minder Binders show. email me for tickets...presale makes us $$$, paying the $8 at the door doesn't. do us a favor. thx!)
Monday, February 21, 2005
oops! gotcha!
Monday, February 14, 2005
heaven, almost here
music categories...
*quoted from a music review on allmusic.com
Saturday, February 12, 2005
discouraged and disgruntled
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
so tired...
Thursday, February 03, 2005
One more time
Oh and be sure to come out to Cooper'stown this Friday, 8pm to hear your favorite Phoenician jam band produce another scintillating show of sound. you know you want to. and don't forget to check out all our audio clips on purevolume.com, 15megsoffame.com, and now on myspace.com (and no, they're not all just repeats of each other)
Friday, January 21, 2005
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!!! (and Saturday!)
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Update, Schmupdate (Again!)
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Update, Schmupdate
Monday, January 17, 2005
comin' soon!
other than that, I was given an awesome link by my graphic-designing uncle for this cool flash website (a promo website for Adobe InDesign). sendin' it on to you all. its worth a look!
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
i, human
while not directly following the plot of book that shares its name (though that book is merely a compilation of short stories) nor to the other Asimov book that shares much of its inspiration, The Caves of Steel, and despite the fact that they failed to including the way cool mass transit system described in that book (a system of varying speed, moving sidewalks) the movie did a decent job of capturing much of the essence of Asimov's writings as well as entertaining us with action, suspense, quick banter, and some nifty tech advances of the near future. Most of all I was pleased with the fact that the movie was able to capture a glimmer of the philosophical and sociological aspects of Asimov's work. Though he created great stories and came up with fantastic new ideas within the science fiction realm, the real genius of his was to take his science fiction and use it to discuss human kind, civilization, our societies, and the human mind, thus making the outlandish and fantastical real and tangible, relating men and women of the future to the similar issues we face now.
if you get a chance at least rent the movie, give a chance, and then go read some Asimov books. obviously I'd reccommend I, Robot as a good read; its easy, with short stories and quick conclusions, its a good starter for the Asimov world of robots. From there I'd suggest diving into his Robot series with Caves of Steel and The Naked Sun. that reminds me I need to buy those two and re-read them. they were good!
well, until next time, keep high and dry!
Saturday, January 01, 2005
crazy go nuts!
this one's an awesome mix of flash with embedded video. way cool! somebody finally got a clue about what flash was really made for (it was originally created as a video creation program!). just be sure to use the english version of the site, unless you wanna brush up on that french you learned way back in high school.
this is a way cool article @ www.relevantmagazine.com on how we should be interacting with one another as Christians. no more of the 'church-talk.'
here's a great article that'll get your brain wheels turnin'. when's the last time you thought that the anti-consumerism fad that has been so popular amongst youth and young adults in America is really just driving American consumerism even further? this little article will have you wondering just how much of an impact Fight Club had on fighting American consumerism.
here's some pretty sweet holiday card designs. check 'em out. maybe you'll get one from me next year...if you're good!
this one's a pretty sweet flash site. nice use of the designer's face! the heavy breathing part's pretty funny! oh yeah, and his eyes are a little freaky. but you'll like it, trust me!
last but on least is a one kick-butt drum site! this one features music clips and vids of just about every great drummer ever! be sure to check out all the videos, there are some awesome solos! and Jesse would kill me if I didn't mention that Neil Pert's got some good stuff on the site as well. check it out.
oh, for all you Sunday Morning Drive fans out there, our next show is this coming Friday, January 7th @ Cooper'stown, 7pm. We'll be playing four, 20 minute sets down in the 'dungeon' in between the bands outside. Be sure to come by and hear us play, even if you can't stay the whole time. we'd all love to see you! oh, and we've got a special guest with us, violinist Tammy McGavock, so don't miss the fun!