Amidst all the chaos that was the Vancouver Riots last night, one timeless image appeared. Shot by freelancer Richard Lam, and licensed by Getty (with the version you are seeing courtesy of the Vancouver Sun), the photo was taken amidst police lines, flailing mannequin appendages, and the always predictable cars on fire. Lam has some [...]
Well reading and lying, but eventually just reading, the lying just gets out of control once you break out your Green Day poetry. A spectacular story by David Amsden about his awkward High School years, and how Jay McInerney is to thank for all the more-awkward moments that involved the opposite sex: Excerpt: By late [...]
There has always been the debate about how “Art” should be created. Plenty of “artists” claim art is not something that should ever be created with it’s profitability in mind. It’s always said that commercialism ruins the art, whether it be painting, photography, music, film, writing, etc. We got a big dose this year of [...]
A conversation today led me to the following thought: If you were to have one song, and one song only, be your only barometer on whether someone should be in your life, what song would it be?
This is the yearly series of top lists of the year that is leaving. Albums of the year, everyone has their end all album of the year, everyone has some suspect mentions, my list has both. In case you don’t actually know me, my musical taste is bi-polar at best. There is nothing more addictive [...]
This is the yearly series of top lists of the year that is leaving. Singles usually stand out from an album in a way in which a truly spectacular single (or two) can carry a mediocre album and make it good, or in some cases can make a great album seem mediocre by not living [...]
1. Because I never post anything, anymore.
What a better way to kick off rain in LA, than to listen to pop albums (and some good old Americana)? Sherwood – Qu – iTunes I’ve know the Sherwood guys for years, dating back to working on their first full length when they were on Sidecho. They write some ridiculously catchy songs with gorgeous [...]
So I’ve been a resident of the “Ciudad” of Los Angeles for a whopping 4 weeks now, and I believe this is the first Friday night that I have stayed in. I owe that mostly due to the fact that I have great friends and way more people close enough for a last minute hang [...]
This summer has flown by, and without the real threat of dying from heat as well. I’m pretty excited about that part, and to celebrate… well I’m moving. This way, when the heat catches up and realises August is almost over, I will be safely tucked away in the new loft in Downtown LA with [...]
I feel like IE6 sometimes is that villain in a really poorly written action movie. You know, the one who has no place really being a villain, can’t do anything right, has no overwhelming brute strength, has no secret death ray and can be defeated by a child. IE6 is the villain for a lot [...]
Disclosure: I am “white”, a non-minority, am not a member of the NAACP, and the only discrimination I face on a daily basis is by those who hate people who are too awesome. I am not a huge fan of the NAACP. I understand why it was created, I understand all the good it has [...]
I still claim that Rally Car racing is more exciting than any other motorsport. Why? Because people race over every surface and regularly hit trees and roll over, plus it’s so crazy you need a navigator. Let’s face it, if you need to be in a car chase, you want a rally car driver driving [...]
I’m generally pretty quiet on the topic of racism, but fairly noisy on the topic of race v. ethnicity v. nationality, and this is kind of a weird mix of the both, so I found it interesting. I got linked to this article about this Korean kid in Canada who was kicked out of school [...]
I honestly don’t get Dylan. He’s supposedly the most heralded songwriter alive, he’s supposedly this iconic standard that has experienced and found success through the entirety of the music industries existence. I have very good friends of mine who think this man is the most amazing singer/songwriter ever. People believe in this guy on an [...]
The Tours Aillaud are some amazing towers in the suburbs of Paris, and they have an amazing almost “camo-pixel” look to them. I’m sure plenty of Parisian’s hate these things, but I find it’s definitely the beginning of a movement that saw the created environment being the integral theme of the architecture. Elime Aillaud finished [...]
So a while back, I worked on a little logo for an artist called “The Record Life” from AZ. Super good dude, and makes some great music. You can hear a new song, here. Anyway, it was a fun project to come up with something clean and simple to brand TRL with, and I was [...]
You all know it, I think? Maybe you weren’t there for the “Think Different” campaign, maybe you came onboard with the iPod and because Mac’s are cool. Well whatever the case you should either have already read this or you should read it now, or you should read it now because you have already read [...]
SO a few days ago, via Digg or some random Tweet, I came across badpaintingsofbarackobama.com. It’s an amazing idea, but the issue is this.. most the paintings aren’t bad at all, in fact some are spectacular. Insert random rant about people making a website with one function in hopes it becomes the next internet meme. [...]
My blog got all mad at me a few weeks ago, because I hadn’t taken it out in a few weeks, and because I hadn’t called in days, and the only thing it saw from me was a bunch of Twitter updates. So we broke up, we will see if we can be friends, and [...]
So today I was reading a few weeks old blog by a band I very much respect and am a huge fan of. I won’t name them, because it has nothing to do with the band, maybe a little to do with what they were saying (also I’ve heard a ton of bands saying lately), [...]
So I posted some hate on Lefsetz, and really I’m not a fan of the guy. However, in fairness let me tell you guys why I do read what he says every now and then; He gets passion, he gets what music should be about. He doesn’t really get the realities of the industry (i.e. [...]
Gene Simmons, you know of Kiss, was up in Canada talking about his record label. Call me crazy but I have always liked Gene. He is insane, and egotistical, but he believes in himself, and whatever he does and he realises failure will only be at his blame. It’s maybe not the way to go [...]
So I’m sipping on some Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, and it’s quite lovely. That’s pretty much going to be the best part of this update, for some of you. I’m sitting in JFK, it’s snowing outside, it looks gorgeous. This is the second time I have been in New York in the past week. I head [...]
I used to blog here. My name is Randall. How are you? So I have been ridiculously busy in the last few weeks, and there are good reasons for that. I have a ton of work, and I will be over on the East Coast for a couple weeks. Why? Why not! I will be [...]
I wrote you once a few months back about this, and my email went un-replied. This is my second attempt. I ordered the Deluxe Edition of “Med sud i eyrum vid spilum endalaust”, I got my download, I even got my physical, and then months went by. You sent me emails to let me know [...]
Let me preface this by saying I used to love Shepard Fairey, and then I got to the point where I couldn’t stand him (because he started opening his mouth, as opposed to communicating through the medium that made him noteworthy). So at this stage in life, I can’t stand Shep, but I respect the [...]
So you know how it is over on Facebook, everyone has this “Things about me” thing going around like that time when your girlfriend got Mono, then all you friends did too (wasn’t that weird?). So, I got this originally from Chad and it was 16 things, and by the time Lindsay sends it to [...]
This would be another installment of “Maps And Notes” however, this one really only took place in the city I lived in. San Diego, circa 1999-2001. There was a lot of great different music being played around then. Remember this was the peak of Blink 182, so not much else besides Blink, UL, Fenix TX, [...]
So Friday & Sunday (not, Saturday, because Saturday I drove to AZ and back, well I passenger’d mostly) I was helping my good friend Rohan out on his battle with MySpace and code. MySpace, albeit a great company to work with (yes, I’ve cashed a couple of their checks), can be kind of a mess [...]
Sometimes our Gov’t has been ectremely intelligent and creative in how it plans backbones of our daily lives, some times they are not. The Interstates project that Eisenhower was such a big proponent of is one example of the brilliance of logistics in Government, the Zip Code system is another pretty neat one. Here is [...]
Vinyl. The man has musical performers on his show and doesn’t hold up the CD, he holds up vinyl. Gorgeous, circles of black, grooves of uncompressed, vinyl. And it’s not just once in a while It’s always. It must be show policy. I wonder if a band is allowed to play if they can’t get [...]
I kid. Most of my clients are actually some of the greatest people ever, so I’m pretty fortunate in this one. However, I have in the past encountered these people, and I suppose someone had to take over their design work when I moved on, so this is for you, whomever you are. And those [...]
That there is the cover of The Guardian’s G2 section that ran earlier in the week. One of my favourite people on earth David Carson did the design, and inside is a multitude of other designers takes on POTUS Obama’s speeches. Nice little feature for the design geek and/or political dork.
So in honour of our 44th President being officially in office, I decided I’d post up a little something to celebrate. I think most people are familiar with obamicon.me, but if you aren’t you need to get on over and join in the fun. I have a great hope in this country, and in this [...]
So this weekend I was in and out of an ongoing funk that I would like to attribute to the still ongoing pounding in my head. All weekend I woke up feeling unrested, and chose to blame it on falling asleep weirdly to whatever I fell asleep to. At some point yesterday after complaining about [...]
So anyone who knows me, probably doesn’t know I love “Gossip Girl”, I don’t admit it to many. However, in my defense, it’s a great show with some of the best writing on television. Anything Kristen Bell is involved with pretty much has my vote, anyway. That being said, anyone who knows me, knows my [...]
MuteMath is a simply amazing band. I was fortunate to see them play live a few years back, and it was everything a performance should be. Some bands just get it. These guys made a rather brilliant video that you might be familiar with, then one upped that by recreating it on Kimmel. My good [...]
The other day I came across Yahoo! Media Player. It’s a very simple way to build in a player to any website. It picks up any link to an mp3 on your page and throws it in the player, as well as sticks a play button next to the link. Most of the web development [...]
I’m starting a project, it’s going to remain secret for the time being, however it needs people involved. If you are at all the creative type, which most of my friends who read the lame-ness that is my blog are, then let me know and be sure you are up for some mystery. We all [...]
I didn’t want to do this, but it’s pretty much necessary. 1. Queen Latifah. 2. The whole, “high five the people as you go to the mic” thing. 3. Kid Rock over Coldplay. 4. The constant “Obama won the election” references. Like the actors did anything. 5. Ellen over Letterman. 6. Robin Williams. 7. Two [...]
So a few years back when I was the Creative Director of The Militia Group, I had an intern. Actually I had quite a few interns, but most were local and weren’t there for something like 2-3 months. This particular intern came all the way out to California to live and show up every day [...]
So the first post of a new year I guess. I have one last best of 2008 post to get up, and I’m trying to find a sensical way to let everyone in on the “2008 is dead” playlist I spent a good part of last week creating, but that will be in the future, [...]
This will be an ongoing journey through the best of 2008. Thank you for caring. Best Songs of 2008 1. Third Eye Blind – Red Star 2. Mike Dunn And The Kings Of New England – The Edge Of America* 3. The Jealous Sound – Got Friends 4. The Summer Set – …In Color 5. [...]
This will be an ongoing journey through the best of 2008. Thank you for caring. Best Songs of 2008 1. Augustana – Sweet And Low 2. Gavin Rossdale – Love Remains The Same 3. Mates Of State – The Re-Arranger 4. My Favorite Highway – Getaway Car 5. Jack’s Mannequin – The Resolution 6. Estelle [...]
This will be an ongoing journey through the best of 2008. Thank you for caring. Best Albums of 2008 1. Coldplay – Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends 2. The New Frontiers – Mending 3. Katy Perry – One Of The Boys 4. My Favorite Highway – How To Call A Bluff [...]
So this week marks the official start of the Championship Games for the last of my Fantasy teams. The stats this year are in, and I had an incredibly lucky year. I am in 4 Fantasy Football leagues. In the two leagues that have divisions I won both, finished first in one division-less league and [...]
One of my good friends is the uber talented brad.com, that’s not his real name, but I call him by it when not introducing him to girls with the classic “Have you met Brad?”. Anyway, Brad designs websites and every other designable thing and we have collaborated quite a few times (but not as many [...]
In the ever revolving door that is the conversation of “What is art?” we have a new leading candidate to lead the side of “anything”. A cat. Yes, a cat. Two Pacific Northwest film makers decided to start experiencing the life their cat lives. It’s becoming an ongoing project tht has garnered a bunch of [...]
I’ve been meaning to post this for a few days. The other day Kyle and I were sitting around talking about our distaste for NASCAR and distaste for the Detroit bailout. Let’s face it, the only people to blame for the Big Three failing are the people in charge, the people who put them in [...]
Today I was looking through the design posts on Craig’s List, like I do, to see what freelance design listings are out there, and shoot off a quick email to any that sound interesting. It’s a quick little thing I do bi-weekly that could bring me my next client, and at the least gets the [...]
So life has been crazy, I haven’t blogged in weeks (yet somehow people still come here), and I am finally feeling back on top of things. Here is the wrap-up: I was sick for a good solid 2 weeks, most of it came from breathing pure ash from some of the lovely fires in Southern [...]
So the auto bailout was postponed yet again today, which goes along with my life being postponed lately. I have been sick, barely able to do anything but watch Gossip Girl at 4pm. My apologies to all who it has affected. The person really affected is me, which is a lot NOT like the auto [...]
So we elected an African American, and California has more uneducated and religious voters than I thought (I’m not insulting anyone, the exit polls showed those voting Yes on 8 were in fact both those things). Let’s all relish in the opportunity of being a country that can once again innovate and lead this world. [...]
Aside from the time John McCain introduced Joe the Plumber (and he wasn’t scheduled to appear) and he was no where to be found, this was my favourite election moment. That’s right, 7-11 did their own polls, and they predict a huge sweep for Obama. The greatest part of this map is how they just [...]
In High School I had to do some sort of project with Becky Gibson (whom I owe immensely for making me finally realise how amazing Gavin Rossdale is) on Warren G. Harding. It had all the hits about corruption and the Teapot Dome Scandal involved, had his “Return to Normalcy” all covered. Most people have [...]
So as I sit here on the phone trying to figure out why Los Angeles couldn’t get my voter information out to me in time, I have been traveling some of the series of tubes. Every once in a while people ask me why I’m voting for Obama, I guess it kind of shocks people [...]
A few weeks back I was down in San Diego spending the weekend with my family, it was a great time and we even got out on the bay for a Brunch cruise. Along the way I managed to snag the following image on my G9.
The Jealous Sound, where do I start? This band holds such an emotional attachment to myself. One song off Kill Them With Kindness was pretty much the anthem for an entire relationship. When I was at The Militia Group and J Sound was signed the entire office was ecstatic. Over the years I was there, [...]
So I officially back Google Gears. It took me a while to ponder if I really supported this whole thing, and to really figure out how it can be deployed across the internets, but I’m in completely now. It’s funny how a few months ago everyone thought the future of the web was to keep [...]
I was on the phone with my good friend Tell today, and it happened to be at the moment that I discovered the Obama 08 iPhone application. I was utterly thrilled, cause you know, Barack knows the internets. After my moment of jubilation, and my pestering Tell about his Obama 08 BlackBerry application (or lack [...]
The baseball season is almost, finally over, maybe. One of my teams managed to not lose 100 games (barely), and the other finds itself in a tough playoff matchup with the Angels. I’m excited to see the BoSox battle the Angels (I typed this as “The Angles” the first time, and it made me laugh [...]
Yesterday my bank failed, then it was sold to JP Morgan Chase. I don’t know what this means for my banking mindset, but B of A has been tempting me lately. Earlier today on the news I was watching a local report on WaMu and a reporter was getting the “word on the street” from [...]
This one is just pure unadulterated bliss. Computerworld reports: Computerworld Several digital images that Microsoft Corp. has posted on its Web site to trumpet its new “I’m a PC” advertising campaign were actually created on Macs, according to the files’ originating-software stamp. Four of the images that Microsoft made available on its PressPass site today [...]
I am currently in my apartment, in Long Beach. That alone is more of an accomplishment than you think. You see I am inside a crime scene, blogging, just for you. I know, I’m a charmer. Sometime during my grueling afternoon of photo editing I missed 15+ squad cars, a fire truck and an ambulance [...]
I am never gonna try to claim (for better or worse) that one man is behind a political movement, campaign, or leadership, it is always a team of people. However John McCain needs to find some better people to bring aboard his team. The facts that he doesn’t use computers (and therefore is oblivious to [...]
With all the financial sector shakeups this last weekend with Merrill being sold to B of A, Lehman’s declaring bankruptcy after multiple failed attempts to salvage it, AIG being saved at the last second by the Fed, and the potential for WaMu (who is currently the official bank ro rpj.com, B of A here I [...]
Dear Dawson, It always pissed me off how you screwed things up with Joey. Sincerely, Randall P.S. Go to hell Pacey.
Earlier Today Chad Pearson sent over a link to this lovely video of Mike Dunn playing at an instore in the FLA. I have raved about how great “The Edge Of America” is before, but I’m gonna do it again. Watch this while you are downloading it from Amazon or iTunes. As a bonus to [...]
Do you like pop music? Do you like all those Hip Hop songs that make you sing along? Do you like amazing covers that combine the two into one? This is for you. Holiday Parade presents “Slam Crunk”, the newest in a bunch of white guys remixing through guitars and instruments to bring you a [...]
The lovely (and soon to be back in town for a week) Lindsay Strannigan sent me this a few weeks back, it’s hilarious, and has a special inside meaning to Lindsay, Brandon Chamberlain, and myself. You see, they like to think my job is their personal tech support, and usually it has to do with [...]
So I am one of those twittering people, and as I have discussed with most of my close friends, I don’t really “get it” either. But I do it, and every once in a while I sure am glad I am. Yesterday was one of those days. This was why.
So I have been absent from this little blog as of late, and rally there is no good excuse why. I’m busy working as usual, but I definitely could have spent some more quality time with good ole rpj.com. So where has my time been spent, you ask? Trying to solve the ever evolving issue [...]
Joel posted on his blog the following video. It stirred me up all kinds of crazy, so be forewarned. Just head over to Joel’s blog to see the video. I have a newsflash “peaceful protestors” of Denver, the moment you left the park (where coincidentally the law enforcement had no issue with you) and started [...]
Apparently the title of this post is true, because I said so, but not like college student films, we are talking high school, and we aren’t talking that rich private high school with the really great arts program. I love Heroes, it’s probably my favourite show on television (though HIMYM is pretty even), but this [...]
So I got a text message yesterday from AT&T, which was pretty interesting. As a lot of people know the iPhone 3G is getting some flack over the issues with 3G. I’m the kind that doesn’t care a ton, I just turn 3G off if it’s reception is low places, but I guess it should [...]
So this has been a few days forthcoming, but things are starting to look pretty stable, so I may as well put it on my website. I’m officially typing this from my new office, which is located in my house. Yes I will be operating Department Three from Long Beach now. It’s an exciting and [...]
It’s been a while since I blogged, because I’m busy with things I will fill you in on later, but I brought out a post that I had stashed away as a draft and never finished. Today I finished it. I was recently listening to a few older records, and started remembering these amazingly vivid [...]
So I have stripped the daily “Twitter Update for” posts out of my weblog. They finally became too much. If you guys care to see them all, just visit my twitter, or the RPJ Live part of this site.
So my good friend (though soon to be former, if he goes through with this) Chad Pearson decided to go ahead and make himself a lot richer today, on my dime (or 10 million). I sent Chad out a blank cheque to cover any expense with my art for the P Is For Panda “Pandamonium” [...]
Lately around my place we have been getting pretty into the new HBO mini-series “Generation Kill”, it’s based off a book by the same name, written by a reporter who was embedded with a Marine Batallion (First Recon, out of Camp Pendleton, CA). The book was fairly controversial for how it was received as well [...]
So everyone in the LA area felt the 5.8 earthquake that hit Chino Hills. I am in Downtown LA and we felt it pretty good, our building is on rollers so it just kind of rolls with the punches. The most entertaining feature of todays events is when someone in the building gets on the [...]
So in addition to the earlier post about PGM and one of my photos being used, and the fact that today is the P Is For Panda Pandamonium event which includes 5 photos of mine in super large format (20″x30″), today HITS posted about one of my best friends William Tell, and used a lovely [...]
Everybody’s favourite person Paul G. Maziar has a few of his events featured on Flavorpill, and one of them features a photo I took of Paul when we were in Mexico training to become Mariachis. He will be reading from his book “What It Is: What It Is” and Filter Magazine is presenting the events, [...]
This guy (Mark Shuttleworth) needs a reality check. Your target market isn’t Apple’s; Ordinary users aren’t where your market potential is. The Register That dream? To produce a desktop more beautiful to ordinary users than legions of Apple programmers supping on the milk of chief exec Steve Jobs’ alleged brilliance are capable of producing.
I let you guys all know that I would essentially be taking part in my first showing of any of my art (though one time I did paint a 6 foot tall, 3 foot wide box white, and left it in a huge room for weeks), at P Is For Panda‘s “Pandamonium” event this Friday. [...]
Well with the end of Summer vacations comes the unsettling return to work. I love work, but you do get a bit used to not having to know what day it is, and not really caring what small California highway you are on, or if there are bears along the way. Of course I tore [...]
Exactly a week from today P is for Panda will be having a little get together in the ATL to officially launch the label side of the Panda (I think this also will be one of the first places you can see the new line of Panda shirts, which I am still slacking on contributing [...]
So as I was getting prepared to let you all in on my next post, I came across an interview a friend of mine did with a blog I am a huge fan of. Mark Penxa, interviewed by Uni Watch about the “Stealing Signs” project. Mark and I worked together on a few projects back [...]
I braved whitewater, and lot’s of 3-4 hour drives, and had an absolutely amazing time enjoying the outdoors of Central and Northern California, along with all the heat. I recommend everyone go to a park, or something, and just lie down and look up and enjoy life.
No this isn’t about you and I catching up, this is a rant, be warned. Do you ever get those messages out of the blue on MySpace or Facebook from an old HS (or earlier, or later) friend, whom you truly have some good memories of, and have once over the past 10 years wondered [...]
Kyle forwarded me an email he got from Delta, that I feel I should pass on to the 3 people who read my blog. Stop Oil Speculation Now Our country is facing a possible sharp economic downturn because of skyrocketing oil and fuel prices, but by pulling together, we can all do something to help [...]
This post serves 2 purposes. Some might say it has duality, but I don’t like to brag, I’m humble. The first is that next week I will be rafting rivers, yes more than one. So if you also will be rafting any of California’s greatest rivers (the Tuolumne and Kings) let me know, and we [...]
If you speak negatively about John Mayer, especially failing to actually say anything to back up your opinion (which is wrong by the way) and calling him over-rated and that he knows nothing about music, you will be deleted from my life. You don’t have to like the guys music, you don’t have to even [...]
These are the things that owned my life this past weekend: Happy Hour, The Summer Gin, Superbad Scrabble, Ice Cream Sandwiches, Honey Wheat Pancakes, Realising Every Better Than Ezra Song Is Trying To Be Another Band, PBR, 21-1 Pool Volleyball Games, Beach Boys, Burgers, Fireworks, Cool Runnings, Betting On Olympic Trials, Falling Asleep On Couches, [...]
So the other day, my former flatmate Paul Gerard Maziar came to me wanting a logo. Paul and I go back to the early/mid zeros, and we lived together for 6 months in San Dimas, CA with our 2 other flatmates Bill and Ted (yes, really, and we were quite close to the Circle K [...]
As I hope all of you living in California know, July 1 is the beginning of the hands free cell phone law. You cannot talk on a cell phone with it pressed against your ear, you can however take your eyes off the road to text, email, blog, check traffic, etc. Yes, I actually do [...]
For those who have never been over to 333, you are missing out on the amazing Rube Goldberg we have on our fridge. Unfortunately it’s can’t really touch how cool this Rube is: a href=”http://www.collegehumor.com/videos”>funny videos at CollegeHumor a
… or, You Are Wearing A Girls Shirt. Now that we have all the title possibilities out of the way. Just the other night Kyle and I were discussing the ridiculousness of the V-neck. It’s pretty much a plague the likes of Von Dutch hats. Sure the V is comfortable, and shows off all that [...]
So the other day I stumbled across this promotion McDonalds (or McDonwalds, for those of you that need it) was running for it’s Angus 1/3 Pound Burger. If I may digress in this post, the film “Angus” is one of the better films you have never seen. It has a stellar soundtrack and the movie [...]
