Everyone hates Ticketmaster

Interesting read in Wired about the rise of Ticketmaster: “Everyone Hates Ticketmaster — But No One Can Take It Down”

In 2008, Ticketmaster had made veteran industry shark Irving Azoff—a man so cutthroat (and so short) he is known as the Poison Dwarf—its CEO. Manager of the Eagles since the mid-’70s, Azoff is famously aggressive. He once sent a gift-wrapped boa constrictor to a manager whose wife he considered snakelike, with a note that read “Now you have two!”

Crazy emails from strangers [updated]

Alright, so someone keeps emailing me, thinking they have someone else named Dave Schumaker. This actually happens a lot. After receiving a number of recent forwarded joke emails, I decided to respond. Check out conversation.

It reminds me of this earlier thread I wrote, about receiving strange email.

Update: I just realized that it’s the same Donna in that post!

From: Donna M.
Date: September 17, 2010 3:10:41 PM PDT
To: Dave Schumaker
Subject: FW: Poor mushroom

Forwarded message:

Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:26:44 -0400
From: [some random person I don’t know]
To: [some other random person I don’t know]
CC: [a bunch of random people I don’t know] Subject: Fwd: Poor mushroom

wtf_mushroom.jpg

This is the second or third random forward I’ve gotten from her. I considered adding a filter to my account, but I thought that maybe, I should inform this person they have the wrong email address.

Subject: Re: Poor mushroom
From: Dave Schumaker
Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:12:34 -0700
To: Donna M.

I think you have the wrong Dave Schumaker’s email address.

Best,

-Dave

There, I think that does the trick! Wait — I just got a reply from her,

From: Donna M.
Subject: RE: Poor mushroom
Date: September 17, 2010 3:42:22 PM PDT
To: Dave Schumaker

I don’t think so 😛

Mom

What?!

You are not my Mom! I have NO IDEA who you are!

Update! I just received a follow up email. It looks like things have been cleared up, folks! It looks like I only have one mother again.

From: Donna M.
Subject: RE: Poor mushroom
Date: September 17, 2010 4:54:53 PM PDT
To: Dave Schumaker

So, so sorry I just talked to my son and I did have the wrong e-mail. Again, I’m sorry

Beats Antique at the Independent

Beats Antique at The Independent

Last night, we checked out Beats Antique (also on Last.fm) at the Independent. They’re a pretty awesome fusion of electronic music with a middle eastern bent. Pretty awesome stuff! I love this sort of ambient music as it makes perfect background music for working and such!

They also feature belly dancers during their live performances, who move in sync to their music. Here is a video recorded from the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco last year.