.pHil

While ultimately I am ok, I am still somewhat rattled after my first bike crash in the city. While I feel we are both at fault for this one, I do take a lot of pride in the fact that I did quite a number on the SUV I plowed into.

Here is what happened.

I am in the bike lane on Kinzie heading west past the Merchandise Mart when a Lexus SUV pulls in front of me to turn left. There was no room to go to the right of her without a significant chance of T-boning her if she completes the turn or worse... she plows into me going around.

So I try to turn on a dime to get around to her driver's side however, the car that was behind her was simultaneously trying to do the same thing. So I get screened plowed into the back of her SUV. While not a full speed, I was travelling at a good clip and thought that I might break her back windshield.

I ended up making a deep 8 inch gauge on her tailgate while only sustaning some bruises and some scratches to my bar ends. In my book, that goes down as a win for me.

What is LOOPTOPIA you ask? Well... let me tell you!


"Premiering May 11 (Friday nite), LOOPTOPIA will be America’s first dusk-to-dawn cultural and artistic spectacle showcasing the vibrancy and excitement of Chicago’s historic Loop neighborhood through musical and theatrical performances, unique shopping and dining opportunities, indoor programs, outdoor exhibitions, architectural tours, artistic installations and mesmerizing light displays.

Inspired by “White Night” events in Rome, Montreal and Paris, LOOPTOPIA will feature over 75 events staged throughout the Loop including museums, gardens, plazas, cultural halls, storefronts, theatres, night clubs, libraries, cinemas, restaurants, loading docks and alleyways.

LOOPTOPIA will literally transform the entire Loop into a sensory playground with cutting edge lighting and design elements that will immerse the Looptopia visitor in amazing sights and sounds.

LOOPTOPIA’s first-year footprint roughly extends from Wacker Drive to Congress Parkway and from Dearborn to Lake Michigan. We hope to add to this area in future years.

From an audience member perspective, LOOPTOPIA provides the opportunity to be inspired and awed by the talent of over 50 of Chicago’s cultural and artistic partners- all in one night. An additional 15-20 Loop retailers, entertainment venues and cultural centers will extend hours – in some cases until sunrise - with unique and energizing and amazing programming."

/End press release...

Anyway, I'm planning on staying up as late as possible to check out the sci-fi film festival at 2am and a slew of other interesting happenings ("Mysteries at the Art Institute", "I am Robot and Proud," "Midnight Circus," "Rope Warrior," "Flashlight Tour of the Chicago Cultural Center" to name a few....

Sound off! Who is down without no frown?

http://www.looptopia.com has a printable schedule and all the details.

p.flo

Bank offering World of Warcraft Visa card
Users of First National's credit card will receive introductory 0 percent APR, get free game time for purchases.
By Tor Thorsen, GameSpot
Posted May 4, 2007 3:50 pm PT

In 2005, Sony Online Entertainment became the object of widespread derision when it let players order from Pizza Hut via in-game commands in EverQuest II. Nowhere was the mockery louder than at Blizzard Entertainment, developer of World of Warcraft, EQII's archrival in the massively multiplayer online role-playing game space. The Irvine, California-based developer/publisher even played an April Fools' Day prank satirizing the Pizza Hut function by posting a fake page about how players could order Chinese takeout in WOW.

This week, though, Blizzard set itself up for criticism of a harsher variety. The company has struck a first-of-its-kind gaming-banking deal with First National Bank to release a World of Warcraft Visa card. Much like the credit cards that offer frequent flyer miles for each dollar's worth of purchases, the new WOW Visa will give players of the MMORPG free play time for their consumption with the card. After receiving a free month of WOW for their initial purchase, players will receive "game time at the rate of 1 percent of every dollar in qualifying purchases." That means for each $1 spent on their WOW Visas, players will get $0.01 credit toward their $14.99 monthly subscription fee. Rewards are awarded through a points system.

Naturally, WOW Visa cards will be emblazoned with art from the game. Several themes were featured on the official site of the card--which accepts online applications--including blood elf, dwarf, and paladin themes. In total, 13 different WOW designs are available.

Announced earlier in the hour... Chicago beats out LA for the USOC for the 2016 Summer Olympics.



WASHINGTON -- An effort that came as something of a surprise when it was initiated a year ago produced another surprise Saturday, when Olympic newcomer Chicago beat Games veteran Los Angeles to become the U.S. bid city for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

``We are very grateful the United States Olympic Committee has given us this opportunity,'' Chicago 2016 chairman Patrick Ryan said after the USOC board of directors voted for what could become the first Midwest Olympics since the St. Louis Summer Games of 1904.

Chicago now moves into the international phase of the competition, which begins officially Sept. 15, when candidates must submit their bids to the International Olympic Committee. The IOC will select the 2016 host in October 2009.

``The bidding process for 2016 has not yet been launched but we welcome the choice of Chicago, which has been officially selected today by the USOC,'' IOC president Jacques Rogge said. ``No doubt this was an interesting contest.

``We are happy to have an American city in the race and look forward to receiving Chicago's official bid.''

Chicago's rivals in the 2016 competition likely will include Rio de Janeiro, Madrid, Rome, Tokyo and Prague. Baku, Azerbaijan and Doha, Qatar, improbable dreamers, also may enter the race.

TOP 10 Artists for 2006 ranked by number of songs listened:

1. Nine Inch Nails
2. Hate Dept
3. M83
4, Royksopp
5. Foo Fighters
6. Dubok
7. David Bowie
8. Skinny Puppy
9. Headscan
10. Haujobb

Source:

I've been trying to determine which album earned the 'oh so prestigiou' Phil Fox album of the year award, but I can't say a lot of artists blew me away this year. Though I got Headscan's Pattern Recognition this year, it was released late 2005.

So 2005 album of the year is retroactively awarded to Headscan.

2006 album of the year... Wired All Wrong Break out the Battle Tapes. (Jeff Turzo's [ex-God Lives Underwater] new project)

Runner Ups:
Royksopp Royksopp's Night Out
Front Line Assembly Artifical Soldier

I usually try not to form an opinion based off of one listen, so with time my thoughts on Mythmaker are subject to change. However, for the sake of documenting it... The new Skinny Puppy album has to be one of the most disappointing albums in recent memory for me.

I do not believe one track would have made it onto Greater Wrong of the Right, which in my opinion, is the best album released in the past five years. While the production is top notch, everything else seems unimaginative and contains nothing all that memorable.

The saddest part is... people call Annadalleb a nu-school Skuppy copycat (who also provided some work on Mythmaker). But their debut album is a far more entertaining (and original) work than this latest album by Skuppy.

Also, the vocoder has to die. Seriously folks, its been done to death. Blame whomever you want, but hardly anything all that interesting has been accomplished with that sound in god knows how long.

I'm trying to get a football pool going for the 06 season at www.officefootballpool.com

If anyone feels comfortable enough in the NFL acumen... drop me a line.

Unsure if cash will be involved.

Man... my head is still reeling from this past weekend.

I hung out with Jared... I saw Chemlab... He dedicated Vera Blue to PTI. So. fucking. cool.

Got a lot of real positive feedback from audience members concerning our performance. *Pictures will be coming soon

Pissed off Bruce and the Causticexuals with my awesome British accent.

Met a lot of promoters from cities we've never played before. PTI's summer plans for '07 will be here soon enough.

Hung out with a lot of people I haven't seen since the Stromkorn tour last year.

Took pictures of a member of PTI after he pissed himself at the hotel.

Tricked Jason into looking at my "sat down in the van for 400 miles" boner as we walked into Arby's.

I cant wait for BSF III... I plan on flying out and hanging with some of the friends we made out there this year. It had to be one of the coolest events I've ever been involved with as a performer and/or fan.

My job finally wired me for the first contract I completed 3 weeks ago.

I'M RICH BEYITCH!!!!!!!!

I'm gonna skip the convoluted conversation that led to this comment.. But anyway, a woman was trying to explain what another guy looked like and said that he appeared "a few years younger than [me] probably around 30 years old"

WTF

I usually thank bartenders that card me (in a manner of factiousness) but this is quite disturbing. This beard does not add ten years. I'm 23 goddamnit >.

Just got off the phone with my boss at work. Apparently the client really liked the progress we made on their project and have extended it for another three weeks. So I am still employed!

The first portion of the project involved a great deal of exploratory research. This upcoming section will be more tactical and contain quantifiable projections for their industry and competitive environment.

I imagine the above appears wildly interesting to nobody but myself. But hot damn... I am really excited. I mean, I did well in school and had a lot of success there. But having a HUGE multinational corporation come back with high marks on your work is a completely new feeling.

And right after the project is completed... I'm off to perform at Black Sun Festival.

All sorts of rock \m/

Well is it now official. Not that there was any doubt or anything.

Spring 2006 grades
ENV101: A
HST311: A
REL239: A

So I finished my last two years of college with 22 classes of straight A's. \m/

Also took out my new Trek Hybrid. Man... I need some new asthma meds.

1. I am addicted to David Bowie's Outside. While I am not the biggest fans of conecpt albums... Bowie has some really rocking quasi-industrial stuff here. Hallo Spaceboy, Outside, I'm Deranged are mindblowing tracks.

2. I may have converted from the Jewel/Dominick's grocery chains to Bobak's. I got a weeks worth of food for $35! While you may say that I should go to Aldi's if I want to cut back on my food spending... they certainly don't have the meats, booze, and the crazy Polish deli that Bobak's has. (It is also less than a mile from my place) Got me some blintzes, german potato salad, a variety of marinated chicken, shish-ka-bobs and such. However... their produce section absolutely blows. Everything is brusied and woefully overripe.

3. I think my mom has gotten me converted to Soy Milk. I guess that is a good thing for my health.

4. Sepaking of which, a trip to the doctor is something I may want to look into. At least once a day I notice irregularities in my heart beat. According to some exploratory internet research, cardiac arrhythmia can be benign and quite normal... yet it can also result in cardiac arrest and sudden death. Not fucking cool. >.<

5. I am almost done with my first draft of my first assignment at Euromonitor. Tommorrow was supposed to be my last day but they are going to keep me on to edit the final project. Hopefully I can find more work with them.

6. Since I get to do most of my work from home (I haven't been in the office since last Friday), I am planning on having lunch with an old buddy of mine, Greg Smith. Afterwhich, I plan to buy a new bike to accompany my new spare tire mounted bike rack.

7. Gotta remember to watch the USA v Ghana match tomarrow morning.

1. Bought a Weber propane grill (or is it grille?) and plan to make something different each weekend throughout the summer. Eric left his "Guide to BBQ" here so I will make good use of that. I'm thinking shish-ka-bobs next.

2. Got an extra week of contract work at Euromonitor. Which will pay me enough to cover rent another two months. Rock.

3. PTI show announcement coming soon.

4. Bought a bike rack for my Jeep. Now I need to buy a bike. I hope to spend less than $400 OTD. I still don't know if I want a mountain bike or what exactly. I'm still trying to educate myself on all the differences and manufacturers.

I also washed my car for the first time in two years. Little did I know that doing so in the sun will leave mineral deposits on the car no matter how fast you wipe the car down. Oops.

5. Debating whether I should buy my dad a dog for his birthday. I know he has been depressed for the last two years since Major died. Maybe I'll visit a humane society this week and get some details.

I guess that is it for now.

As of 8:00 PM today... my collegiate life is over. I finished my HST 311 final and that's it. I walk on Sunday but... really today was my last day of college. No more finals... no more assignments... lectures or group projects. At the same time... I have no more excuses.

Tomorrow at 10:00 AM I have my first professional meeting at Euromonitor for a contract analyst gig I landed. While I am only contracted for two weeks, the assignment will be my first "professional" excursion and should cover my rent for the summer as I try to land permanent work.

I'd be lying if I didn't admit the whirlwind of emotions I am going through. Depression, anxiety, excitement, terror.

I need a drink.

So I had to watch Fried Green Tomatoes for a REL class final. (long story) Anyway... did The Prodigy sample the line "I'm the law and you can't beat the law" in Their Law from Fried Green Tomatoes?!? This may be the most obscure sample I've ever pointed out in a film if I can actually verify it.

Since I detest drinking tap water and I had absolutely nothing else in the fridge, I boiled some water in the microwave... added jello and ice cubes and woila! Tasty beverage. Then I realized how much sugar I just consumed... and couldnt fall asleep till 5 AM.

Goddmanit.

1. The other day I realized I only have three more days of school (+ finals) and my collegiate career will come to an end. I've loved every minute at DePaul University and I am really going to miss it.

2. I made it official. I deleted my Season Pass for the Chicago Cubs on my TiVo. Put a fork in the '06 Cubs... they're cooked. I can't take any more of this team's lackadaisical approach to baseball. I'm not a bandwagon jumper, but I can't be counted among Dusty supporters with the way this team is tanking.

Man... I wish Mark Cuban would buy the Cubs. It is amazing what he has done with the Mavericks. That franchise used to be the laughingstock of the NBA. Now they are a perennial contender.

I know... its two shows... two shows do not = tour... but don't shoot the messenger.

Anyway, Ill be playing keys for the first time with mindFluxFuneral this weekend in Milwaukee and Chicago opening for some band called Stromkern.

MindFlux is on first so show up early... and you shan't be disappointed.

MindFluxFuneral/Monstrum Sepsis/Stromkern
05/12/2006 07:00 PM - Club ?
807 S 5th street, Milwaukee, WI
53204,
$8

MindFluxFuneral/Monstrum Sepsis/The Point of Reflection/Stromkern
05/14/2006
08:00 PM
Darkroom
2210 west chicago ave, Chicago, IL 60622,US
$8

come early for the flux... stay late for the 'kern.

p.fox

J.G. Thirwell of Foetus fame composes the music for the Venture Bros on Adult Swim?

well.. i found that interesting