text:
"Williamsburg Town"
(Four things
she was wearing
In Williamsburg town)
Tags: poetry
"9/11, Part Two"
we will all have enough
when the apocalypse comes...
so quit talking to me
"Pokémon GO Rap" music video with Spose
"Never Afraid" music video with Watsky
"Sublime with Rome (Is Not the Same Thing as Sublime)" music video
"Triforce" music video
"The Ballad of Hans Moleman" music video
Q. I want to be a full-time musician like you one day. Any tips?
A. Whenever I do school workshops, this is the main thing I am asked after my talks. I came up at a time when everything was changing dramatically in the music industry, so additional advice would be specific to someone starting when I did (i.e. 1998-ish). I started putting out music and videos in the early years of social media (pre-YouTube) with the help Nettwerk management, with whom I connected after studying at Oxford in the winter of 2003 and getting signed to Truck Records. I have since found an audience in the "nerd rap scene", a group of people who are both loyal and very generous with their support. Being asked to open for bigger artists over the years and doing things like Warped Tour has helped as well. These things have also helped me establish my brand and fanbase.
My advice would be to work to find your own niche where you can similarily keep creating and connecting with loyal fans. If you can find 1,000 people who will support any project you put out, that is potentially enough to survive and have a satisfying career. Work on hitting that benchmark in increments of 100, which comes about by putting out regular, topical content on YouTube, Spotify, SoundCloud etc. Make sure that your material continues to be strong, that your live show is special and authentic, that your online videos are well-produced, and that you are always good to your fans. If you are talented, unique, consistent, kind and are willing to work as hard as you can for 10+ years, doors will most likely open for you. If you want to do it and are willing to put all of your free time into it, you can.
Q. Can you teach me how to rap?
A. My TEDx presentation offers some tips, as do both books in Paul Edwards's How to Rap series.
In short, good writing takes time. Your first few songs might not be Eminem-status, but that don't be discouraged! I tell young rappers to write for at least two hours a day, be fearless in their revisions, and to listen to as much lyric-focused music as they can. Learning to produce your own beats can help create a unique sound and inform your cadence, helping you tell your own story. There are lots of great YouTube tutorials on beat production. Good luck, and most importantly, have fun!
Q. What is Horris Records? I make music too, would you consider signing me?
A. Horris Records started out as an imprint through Nettwerk. They had a distribution deal through Fontana, who helped me release my first EP and my first official full-length, the Graduate.
After leaving Nettwerk in 2008, I retained rights my first few projects. I did an album with YTCracker and an EP with K.Flay as well as few other solo projects. In 2011, I signed Weerd Science (Josh Eppard from Coheed & Cambria), releasing his sophomore rap album Sick Kids, a dark record about addiction and recovery. These days, I'm not currently looking for new artists to sign, and anything Horris might theoretically be able to do for you or for your brand you can definitely accomplish without a small indie rap label like mine. As Jello Biafra once said, "Anyone could have made this album. Now go do your own."
Q. Will the songs you've been releasing recently via Patreon ever be available publicly, i.e. on Spotify, iTunes or anywhere else?
A. Most of the songs I'm releasing via Patreon will not be available anywhere else. Though there is still a small chance that a few of the Patreon songs may mutate and eventually be re-recorded, edited, tweaked or re-mastered for future compilations, signing up to support me through Patreon is the only way to make sure you won't ever miss any of my new jams. Thank you so much again for your support!
Q. What programs do you use to make your beats?
A. Logic Pro X, GarageBand, Ableton Live 9 Intro and Reason on my MacBook Pro, and Chordbot and ReBirth on my iPad Pro. I program and play synth and bass lines with my Akai MPK25 and record my vocals with a Shure KSM32 single diaphragm microphone via a Resident Audio T2 Thunderbolt audio interface. I have an Epiphone ES-335 PRO electric guitar that I write and record the majority of my guitar riffs with.
Q. Can I use one of your songs on my podcast / YouTube channel / Twitch stream etc.?
A. Yes, yes and yes. Anyone out there has blanket permission to use any of my music for any projects, as long as it's not being monetized. If you are monetizing it, hit me up and we can work something out. Thanks!
Q. Will you please come play my venue / wedding / school / convention?
A. If you have a serious offer and a venue ready, please email my agent Eva and we'll make it happen! I also do school workshops.
Q. I am getting engaged / it's my girlfriend's birthday / my son just graduated from middle school / something else amazing happened to someone important to me. Would you please record him or her a congratulatory message?
A. Happy to record congratulatory videos or freestyle raps for all of your celebratory needs. All I ask is that you support my Patreon at any level you feel comfortable, and I'll send you whatever you need.
Q. Is the upcoming show in (insert any town's name here) all ages?
A. If the age restriction information listed on the venue's sites is unclear, please hit up the venues directly. I try to make every show all ages, but I do sometimes get booked to play bars and clubs that aren't, but it's best to get in touch with venues directly as asking me may result in misinformation. Thanks!
Q. Do you ever do features / collabs?
A. Of course. If you think I might be feeling your project and would like to commission a guest verse fro me, please email me an mp3 of your track with your verses and the hook already recorded, explaining a bit about what you are looking for me. I will get back to you as soon as I can and we can negotiate business stuff. Thanks!
Q. Can my band open for you on your next tour?
A. I'm all for giving up-and-coming artists a place to showcase their work, but I have so many friends I want to tour with these days that it's unlikely I can take everyone who asks me to bring them on tour. That being said, if you do happen to have a draw in your city and want to open for me locally, please get in contact with the venue where I'm playing (I always list this info on my tour page), and ask for the promoter's contact info. The next step would be to hit up promoter and see if they need a local opener. If they do and you can guarantee a draw, there is a chance you'll be added to the show if there's room. I
Once you kill it and if my fans like you, maybe we could end up doing more shows together down the road, you never know. Thank you for your professionalism, going through the promoter is your best bet.
Q. I want to perform a cover of (insert song name here) for my high school talent show. Can you please send me an .mp3 of the instrumental?
A. Honored that you would want to pay tribute to my music! Thanks! A few of my instrumental are on YouTube or my SoundCloud, and there are ways to rip them, but I won't be able to send specific mp3s, sorry! (However, please note that Patreon subscribers at the $5-a-song level get every instrumental, so those are available too.)
Q. Can you send me an .mp3 of the acapella for (insert song name here)? I had an idea for this crazy remix.
A. Awesome, thanks for asking! As I said before, if you support me on Patreon at the $5-per-song level, you will be granted access to the instrumental of every new song I ever release through that platform, as well as the acapella. Alternatively, if you search for "MC Lars acapella" on YouTube, you'll find acapellas of some of my older songs which I give you full legal approval to rip and remix.
If neither of these solutions is helpful, I can't offer much more help, sorry! However, if you wanted to do a rap "cover" of the song in question by rapping it yourself and using the new vocal for such a remix, you have my blessing!
Q. If I ordered a CD / shirt / hat / etc. from your webstore, would you personally sign it for me?
A. Thanks for your support! Since my merchandise is warehoused and shipped from a fulfillment center in Phoenix and I currently live in California, that makes it hard to personalize items ordered. However, if you want to bring anything you've bought online to an upcoming show, I would be happy to sign it and even draw you something special.
Q. What are your real thoughts on nerdcore?
A. People aware of this hip-hop sub-genre often consider MC Frontalot, mc chris and me to be its three of nerdcore's original architects. I met chris in 2005 and Frontalot in 2006 and have always admired both of their music as well as their work ethic. We've all toured together a lot this past decade.
Over the years, fans at shows would sometimes tell me, "I don't like rap, but I like you guys," which seemed problematic for a few reasons. The first generation of (usually white) nerdcore rappers created frequent, comedic comparisons between (a) the painful experience of people of color in late 20th / early 21st America and (b) the experience of contemporary awkward former-high schoolers once teased for their love of D&D (i.e. nerds). Appropriating the hip-hop trope solely for comedic reasons seemed inappropriate to me, but it was an easy and effective joke in the mid-00s, which was something no one in nerdcore really wanted to discuss. If young people who didn't typically create rap were now inspired to do so, I wanted their understanding of the culture to expand beyond the entry point that the first two documentaries on the subgenre explored.
So, I spoke out. I wrote a blog about the sub-genre's limitations in 2009 and in 2010 argued that white appropriation of black culture without acknowledging its social roots is a form of racism. This led to an angry backlash by the nerdcore community, which I addressed at length on Jensen Karp's Get Up on This podcast. For further reading, check out Jason Tanz's Other People's Property, an interesting book of essays which offers a well-researched chapter on appropriation in nerdcore.
It's very complicated, but thankfully these days, nerdcore has become more diverse and inclusive.
Breakfast with Jesus and Tupac
Jesus and Tupac were having an early brunch on a Thursday afternoon in Reno, when Jesus dropped his knife on the group for the third time. "Fiddlesticks," he said, disgusted. "It's these bloody stigmatas. They make it impossible to hold anything."
Shakur laughed that famous handsome laugh of his. "I too know the pain of messianic sacrifice. Have you heard my oeuvre?"
"There you go again," Christ replied, waving his frustratingly un-buttered croissant in the wind, "it's always something, comparing your creative output to my role as a figurehead for love and salvation in the Western world. Drop it Shakur, just drop it."
"I will," Pac responded defiantly, "much like you keep dropping that slippery-ass butterknife," before breaking into another inappropriately loud fit of laughter and slapping his gold rings against his black Chinos. They ate their omelettes in silence as "Who Let the Dogs Out" played on the dusty jukebox next to the men's room in the corner.
The front door swung open.
"Oh Christ," Pac said.
"What?" Jesus said, scrolling lazily through his iPhone.
"No, I mean, oh God... don't make eye contact, don't, look who just showed up." Jesus turned around.
"Table for one?" the portly man in the colorful sweater and dark sunglasses said to the hostess, before catching Christ's eye.
"Yo Big!" Jesus shouted across the diner. "There's room here! Come join us!" snapping his fingers as a third chair appeared instantly.
"I hate you," Pac said to his friend, burying his face in his hands.
"Zombie Dinosaur", final touches
A lot has happened since my last update. I've finished six songs that are still in the running for the album and have made significant progress on seven more. It's been a rollercoaster of frustration and elation but as my previous projects have show me, it will all be worth it and getting stressed about the commercial viability of my rhymes and beats is the last thing I need. It takes mindfulness and a focused meditation to keep going up this arduous, but admittedly fun and glorious mountain. I've been jogging regularly, taking my vitamins and eating right. Both really help!
I love how I've been able to assemble this really reliable, hardworking, passionate crew of collaborators for this project. I still do most of the work on my laptop in Logic and Ableton, but it's always inspiring to "co-write" with different producers and engineers across the world who can translate my ideas into a reality when I am limited with my production capabilities. The magic of the Internet has brought us all together in 2014. Shout outs to:
Jordan Katz. I met this guy through Adam WarRock a few years ago, he does live band arrangement for Brother Ali, De La Soul, Big Daddy Kane and a bunch of other hip-hop legends. He's been amazing at arranging artists to play various instruments on the record - and he plays everything himself. I'll call him and be like, "Okay, we need a beat like this, with this kind of vibe to this drum arrangement", and within a few hours he'll send me a fully arranged version of my idea. He's one of the only producers I've ever met who works faster than I do!! Every beat we've worked on together is flawless.
Sam Waldo. This kid is from Portland, I met him years ago when he drove all the way down to Bakersfield from Oregon because it was the one all ages show on my long as hell fall tour with MC Frontalot in 2008. Since then we've collaborated on many beats and he's always up to suggestions, he works hard and he is a perfectionist. He's really grown up in the years I've known him and the flavor he's done on this album is impeccable. Good things to come from this young talent!!
Watt White. Watt used to sing in a post-hardcore band called the SmashUp years ago. I've known him for almost ten years and he is the master of the genre parody. I'll be like, "Watt, we need to do a Slayer parody", or "Watt, I need a melody for a song making of fun of how Sublime with Rome is not the same thing as Sublime" and he'll give me tons of different options and always be open to my notes. As our kids' show Yes Yes Y'all! finds its way into the television world in the years to come, I want to keep working with him in that capacity too because he's helped us with lots of music in that department as we've developed it. I love this guy and he's always on top of his game. He's so talented it's scary.
Damondrick "DJ" Jack. I went to college with this guy and have been touring with him on and off for years. He's the primary "overseer" of the project (he's the Rick Rubin to my Run-DMC) and is always the first one to hear the demos as they come to fruition. He's always honest and has been great with helping me curate the beats, finalize the concepts and track final vocals. I always have fun in the studio with this guy because I'm relaxed when we track. He handles his business and has an incredible ear!! It helps that he's one of my best friends. No one makes me laugh like DJ.
Kevin Brew. Kevin is an Australian fan who raps and makes beats. He did the "Lord of the Fries" beat for me on the "Indie Rocket Science" mixtape and the "Moleman (Hans Moleman)" song on the upcoming album. He works hard and has an amazing ear for melody and arrangement. Every time he sends me ideas, it's awesome, and he's always quick and professional when I have arrangement ideas.
Nate Monoxide. How I met up with this guy is amazing - he's a British fan from the North of England and has an incredible ear for rock and rap arrangements. We're working on a song together that's going to be the album's first single (a Game of Thrones song). We have a strange Vulcan mind-meld thing going… I'll be like, "Nate, we need to change this synth line to something in a major key at bar 17, but let's split the difference between that and the last interval." He'll say okay, and I'll be listening to his changes and think, "I wonder if he's going to resolve it to the major seventh?", which he does before I can even write down the changes. A true talent and a prolific producer.
Mike Russo. I know you all know how we told him he needed to cut his hair on the last album. But little did you know that Mike is one of the best guitarists I know and a true genius when it comes to chord structures and melodies. In addition to playing various guitar lines on albums I've dropped over the years, Mike has also co-written stuff like "Do the Bruce Campbell" (from my album with YTCracker) and a new Ninja Turtles song on the upcoming album. He has a pop sensibility, a metal edge to his playing and a punk rock instinct when it comes to chord arrangements. He's from an indie background but can do pretty much anything.
THE KICKSTARTER FANS! For the "play on Lars's album" donor level, I asked the fans what instruments they played and was surprised by the diversity in their talents (melodicas, violins, tenor saxes!). Our collaborative project "Crowdfund This Song" truly sounds like nothing I've ever worked on. I've been getting cool new parts every day and have been so impressed by the talent and creativity of the worldwide audience of supporters. It's very punk rock - literally breaking down the barriers between the audience and the stage. I love it.
I have two "lit-hop" tracks for the album in the works (Huckleberry Finn and Romeo and Juliet) so I've been forced to be selective with what I finish. I decided to keep my Kerouac song off of this project and to save it for a future record that's completely Beat lit inspired. I've been reading Burroughs and Ginsberg too and plan on doing a hip-hop project about how their work really changed the literary landscape. It will be a full-length LP, not just an EP. After my last EP (the Poe project), I don't want to inundate the audience with too many literary rap songs… this new album is more punk rock / pop culture / music genre parody inspired, like "the Graduate" was. More on that later.
After the summer camp gig I was talking about in my last post, I went to hang out with my friends Jon Longley and Joey Flash in Tampa. I hadn't gotten to chill with those guys for a long time, we've all toured together over the years and I love them both like brothers. Joey and I worked on some final mixes for the upcoming "Lars Attacks!" re-release for the upcoming three-year anniversary reprint. We went out to a local hip-hop show and went a little bit "too hard on that tetrameter" you could say. Jon drove me to the airport, I came back to California to check out the Mountain View Warped Tour date where I so many of my awesome friends from the tour and beyond. I ended up rapping on three different stages that, with I Fight Dragons, on the main stage with Less than Jake and finally a solo set on one of the small stages. I got to watch mc chris, Watsky and K.Flay and said my hellos. I hadn't seen chris since I was in Brooklyn last Christmas and it's so great to see how happy he is and well he's doing. I really love that dude and I'm glad we got to reconnect.
I've been in touch with STZA Crack about our collab for the upcoming album - I saw Leftöver Crack years ago in Santa Cruz (Jello Biafra was at the show and I met him too)! I sampled one of his tracks for the new album, I sent him the beat and said I wanted to have him sing on it. He said he was down, he loved rap and emailed me a video for a song he did with Boots Riley from the Coup. He'll be in London for some shows while I'm here so the plan is to track his parts before I head back to California. He is a genuinely nice guy and I think his political views are really brave but right on.
Last weekend I rapped with Wheatus at their festival show in Hyde Park. We had a tech rehearsal on Saturday in London, I'm really getting to know the city more, I love the energy, the chaos, the architecture, the museums. One day I'd love to have a studio in London and spend a few months a year out here. When we were getting on the tube to rehearse with Wheatus, I ran into my agent Geoff completely randomly at King's Cross! It's almost like I'm a British citizen these days.
I've loved the freedom of being able to travel and work on the Zombie Dinosaur LP wherever I've been staying in between tours and shows, but I also feel a bit scattered to be honest and longing for the day when I can have a permanent location. My storage locker in Monterey has been my "home" for awhile, but that's the price of being an artist. When I was working on my book after Warped Tour, I drove up to Eureka and spent a few days laying out my first few chapters and exploring the beautiful NorCal coastline. I'm hoping to head back there for a few days before I fly to back Florida for Orlando Nerd Fest.
There's a track on the new album with a rave inspired outro. I loved the last Die Antwoord album and I've never done anything like that, even though I started my career back in the 90s doing those kind of beats. For the Remixes & Rarities compilation that the Kickstarter fans get, I'm going to include a CD with revisited tracks from that Lars era. You've been warned!!
Also, it looks like the Zombie Dinosaur LP won't be dropping until early next year. I wanted to get it out for the fall, but it's just not ready. Sorry everyone! I promise it will be worth it, even though it's going to be "fashionably late".
Thoughts on these "Zombie Dinosaur LP" demos
Because today's Internet culture is so obsessed with brevity and sound bytes, writing these pieces has been really fun for me. It's nice to say as much as I want about this project to anyone who cares to read it.
I am currently sitting at LAX, waiting in a layover to London. TSA workers to my left wait for coffee in a long line next to frazzled men in suits checking their watches. There's a guy in a denim blue shirt to the right of me talking loudly on his iPhone. "'I guess I can't swim'," he says. "That would be funnier if he said that. I like a joke there, I just don't like that joke. Any time you hear movie tropes, it's always tricky."
I'll be in the UK for most of the summer, playing a few club and festival shows, working on my new album, potentially shooting a part for an indie movie in Scotland. It still surprises me how many times I get to keep going back. It will be my fourth consecutive year playing Slam Dunk – the first time was with Weerd Science in 2011 and we were blown away by the response. The club audience turnouts have definitely waxed and waned over the years, but the festivals have always been amazing. I really love about traveling in the UK in May – the weather is always really beautiful. As Chaucer once put it, when spring comes to England, "longen folk to goon on pilgrimages".
I was ready to leave LA – I've been doing really cool stuff with some of my producer friends down there, but I have so much of the music ready that now it's time to write the lyrics. I find I write better when I travel. California is so dry and hot right now. Anyone who still denying climate change needs to (1) realize that their political agenda is affecting their appraisal of reality and (2) open a window.
I posted on Facebook and Twitter a few weeks ago that I'm not on Warped Tour this year, but I keep getting people hitting me up asking me if I am. Kevin likes to change it up and not put the non-headlining acts on every year. I hope to do it again soon if they ask me back (2015 maybe?), but this summer, like I said, I will be in the UK. So many artists I love will be on Warped this year though, so if you're going please say hi t: mc chris, Watsky, K.Flay, I Fight Dragons, the Protomen for me… it's going to be a great one.
As I sit in LAX finishing this update, I think back to the dozens of tours I've done over the year. I think about how important it is to stay relevant and topical. I met up with my old friend and former manager Tom Gates at Nettwerk when I was in LA; he's always been a big inspiration and supporter and we talked about the need to put time into your art but not disappear for too long between projects. I feel like sometimes these days, I run the risk of "running into the ground" songs that are over a decade old ("Mr. Raven", "Hurricane Fresh", "iGeneration" etc.) and that's why it's nice to have this time to work on a new batch. This tour I might bring out some really obscure older songs ("Make Way for Ducklings", anyone?) just to keep the set interesting and fresh. I checked out the Spotify "MC Lars Artist Radio" the other day and laughed at some of the random things of mine that came up. If you've never heard the original "Lint Song", check it out – the wrong mix got pressed on a kids' comp and it surprised me how hilarious it was that that version ended up on a kids' comp.
These days, I only want to do the really good tours and shows and spend more time writing and creating, less time chilling in a van reminding people about songs I put out in 2004. I think that's only natural for any artist who wants longevity – my Dad always reminds me about a song called "Garden Party" by Ricky Nelson about a singer who goes to a gig an industry party where Dylan, Yoko Ono and a lot of ther people are only want to hear his old songs. "If memories were all I sang," he sings, "I rather drive a truck", and that because "ya can't please everyone… you got to please yourself."
RIP to Bob Hoskins. I had some tears yesterday about that. He will live on forever in his movies, Who Framed Roger Rabbit will always be my favorite film and his performance in that was genius.
In happier news, I'm stoked about the new shirt, stoked about the new songs, stoked about the fact that I can read the new issue of MAD magazine on my tablet as I fly over the Atlantic Ocean tonight.
More "Zombie Dinosaur LP" news
As I continue to post here, I will be keeping you all in the loop with regular updates to document how everything comes together with a project like this. Before I begin, I wanted to address some questions people have been asking me.
I thought it would be a hilarious extension of some of the ridiculous album themes from the past. "This Gigantic Robot Kills" was an album title that the late, great Wesley Willis came up with in 2000 while "Lars Attacks!" was my spiritual space-themed album, so killer dinosaur zombies were the next logical step.
"Lars Attacks!" was an experiment on how far I could move past the style of stuff I'd been working on up until then. I wanted to make a record with faster and more technical rapping, as little humor as possible, the least pop culture references possible, heavier minor-key beats and serious stories about my life, religion and hip-hop's role in all of that. Basically, I wanted to take everything that "the Graduate" and "Robot Kills" were and do the opposite – to see how "non-commercial" sounding of a project I could create with my friends (KRS-One, Sage Francis, Mac Lethal, John Reuben etc.). I'm still proud of that record, but in retrospect I realize that it was rushed for me to try to finish for the 2011 Warped Tour. Between a mastering engineer who failed to meet deadlines and delays in manufacturing, I didn't end up getting it back until Warped as half over. Also – I think I confused everyone because there were so many darn versions of that album: two different versions of the physical pressed copies, the sample-free iTunes and Spotify version, the Bandcamp amalgam and the version on the robot USB. I had become the George Lucas of rap in terms of rethinking everything. It was a chaotic time in my life; I was moving, constantly on the road and had recently come out of a serious, long-term relationship, so even though that album ended up like a hip-hop hydra with a million heads, it got me through a hard and strange year. There are mixing and production things on that album I still want to fix and repress, but that will come later. A friend who had my back through everything was the talented and hard-working producer Joe Oliger, a.k.a. Joey Flash of the Florida band I Am One (a project with my drummer Jon). We spent many days and nights in his home studio at his parents' house in New Jersey working on beats, lyrics, mixes, and arrangements and pushing the boundaries of both or our abilities.
"Indie Rocket Science" was the mixtape that came out right before with some of the outtakes from "Lars Attacks!"… I listen back to that these days and I see how my heart and soul were right there, and that's the CD that I really was most proud of in retrospect. But, due to the legalities, less people heard that project. The sample-free songs were later released on the "Frosty the Flow Man LP", with songs from the "Frosty EP" that came out during the holidays in 2011. It was the first time that I had worked with Horris Records as its own entity, away from the labels who had helped me with distribution / promotion / A&R over the years, so I was learning. Also – I was working on Weerd Science to help get his "Sick Kids" album heard, so I was wearing many hats at that time.
I learned two things from that project: (1) as an artist, it's good to experiment, but not to forget what makes you great. Humor, high-energy beats, and pop culture references were the bread and butter of post-punk laptop rap and everything I had released to that day. I dropped a project where I intentionally tried to abandon all of that, reinventing myself from the ground up. Where "Lars Attacks!" ended up not resonating with people, "Indie Rocket Science" did, but I think I confused everyone with the sheer amount of projects released that year and how they were all Frankenstein-ed together in confusing ways. Which led me to realize that (2) it's a lot better to write and write and then put out one definitive album with the best tracks.
I didn't go to the old friends in my life who I had previously trusted for their opinions on which tracks should be on the album and which should not. I was so determined to prove that I could do everything on my own and that everything I released would be flawless, but in reality, I realized that art is a process of trusting your instincts but knowing what to edit and revise. You don't want to become Axl Rose or Dr. Dre and sit on a project forever, but you don't want to rush it. The anxiety of trying to rush and create something for a perceived market is poison to the creative process, exacerbated by the assumed competition of social media and the sheer inundation of information. But good art stands outside of that – a well-crafted song will exist years after the Instagram selfie of the artist in the studio mugging for the smartphone.
That's why people are still discovering "This Gigantic Robot Kills" and "the Graduate", even though both been out for awhile. I find that young kids inheriting their older brothers' and sisters' music collections when they go to college are drawn to those albums. I get so many kind emails from young people who love the songs like "Download This Song" and "This Gigantic Robot Kills", because I made those songs at a happy time and I channeled that into the studio. One of my favorite songs from "Lars Attacks!" was "Judas Priest", but no one really seems to remember that song. I remember feeling a ghostly creepy vibe when I wrote and recorded that song – the lyrics just came to me, but I wasn't really myself when I wrote it. I could analyze the hows and whys forever, or I could channel that joy and passion into the new project, which is the best solution.
Frontalot and I had a funny talk the last night at SXSW this year. We were sitting in a friend's yard at 3:00 am and talking about the NES Game Genie and how with games like Contra you could just run through the levels. I told him that I saw life like a game – the cheat cartridge is like a code to spread positive vibes wherever you go, and that that's the one real mission in life.
SXSW was a special time this year, one of the best, as it always is. I remember sitting with Random and Doc Awk one night after the Tech N9ne showcase talking about how and why hip-hop is important. At a surface level, it's just poetry, someone talking quickly over a syncopated beat. But Awk made the point that art, music and anything important is deceptive because it taps into something bigger than itself. That's why people love nerdcore so much – it speaks to the fans and creators as a folk culture that by virtue of its weirdness and unflinching intellectual swagger, it won't ever reach Justin Bieber status. But we can still sell out small clubs, we can still get the reddit kids amped and we can still get hundreds of thousands of YouTube views. Why? Because we tap into something bigger than us; the subjective millennial quest for identity and meaning in a changing, cut and paste.
"Zombie Dinosaur" studio diaries
Today I'm headed back to the recording studio in Echo Park where I've been working with my friend Jordan Katz. He's been incredible throughout this whole album process. He's a trumpet player who's been the music director, touring with people Brother Ali and Big Daddy Kane and is currently producing the new De La Soul record! I met Katz a few years ago when he and Martin Starr did a show opening for Adam WarRock in LA. I remember watching Starr on Freaks and Geeks as a kid and then being surprised to see him rapping – he's actually a genuinely nice guy a great storyteller when it comes to songwriting. (He's currently killing it as a disgruntled programmer on Silicon Valley, the new Mike Judge show on HBO… Frontalot agrees with me, it's great!)
Starr has a great, Big Boi-esque flow when it comes to rapping. Yesterday we wrote and demoed funny song together about the origin of Easter… I came up with the first verse, he took it to a surprisingly place with the second, and then we brought it home to share the surprise origin of Easter in the third. From projecting a character, to trying to piece together a story and trying to recreate an imaginary scene for the audience, rapping is a lot like acting. I'm happy with the track and I was really glad Jordan could connect us.
This morning I was thinking about the concept of celebrity and how important it is to stay down to earth. I've always tried to keep that optimism about building your own world in the shadow of corporate media and how you can use that infrastructure to your advantage, without sacrificing quality in your work. I remember in 2008 my room had a view of Capitol Records building. "The Graduate" had finally recouped, I remember looking out the window and thinking how I was thankful for the people and industries that the major labels and industry had brought to this city, but that I didn't need that world. That's why the robot is cutting through the Capitol Records Building on the cover of my second album. He's destroying the flat mass culture, literally.
It's been a long education but I feel like I see things clearly, and as the Flobot also said in 2008, "I see the strings that control the systems." Growing up and starting my career as a rapper during the invention of media and social media has been interesting to say the least. I was talking to my former guitarist Mike Russo on the phone about this last night. We reminisced about how back in the 90s, AOL served as the proto-Internet, which was the start of everything. For kids my age, it helped teach me a lot about the music industry with how labels and artists treated fans. I gained a distaste for major labels and an appreciation for artists who had time to communicate with their fans online, doing things like the AOL Live Chats where they answered questions. It was a shift in culture and media and I was fortunate to witness how everything changed, but as a fan and as an artist.
DJ has just been hired to record all of the vocals for the album. He did most of the vocal production work on "the Laptop EP" and "the Edgar Allan Poe EP" – he always gets the best out of me and the dude has an amazing ear. He doesn't use his Stanford music degree enough, so Horris Records and I are working on remedying that with this album. Ha!!
Off to the studio!! Thanks to anyone who's still reading these ruminations. More to come.
"Bodies"
Bodies in the bathroom
Bodies in the closet
Bodies in the living room
There goes my deposit
I've been living in a hostel in Brooklyn for the month of January. I've been sharing a kitchen and the bathroom with a bunch of other people and it reminds me of college. We're moving to a different and more permanent place tomorrow and then I'm going to Cape Cod with Flash Fire to do more work on Lars Attacks! We are finishing up the album artwork for the Oglio release of 21 Concepts (But a Hit Ain't One) with three new songs. Also, I'm signing Weerd Science to Horris Records to spread the word about his new amazing album Sick Kids that's been unreleased for way too long.
I've been going into the Universal recording studio in Manhattan to finish up a bunch of collaborations for other artists' albums. It's been fun writing for other projects. I did a verse for a track with Kosha Dillz and Homeboy Sandman and another for a young Ohio rapper named Nick Brophy. I'm always in the midst of a song about Flowers for Algernon with Random (Mega Ran), we're going to do some more literary songs. He just did a great one about the Metamorphosis by Kafka.
I just finished reading a book called "Teachings of the Buddha", a collection of stories that talk about impermanence and compassion compiled by a Buddhist monk named Jack Kornfield. I spend a lot of my time reading these days. I caught up on my back issues of Rolling Stone so now I know all about Eminem's recovery from addiction and the prolific talents of Bruno Mars. It's important as a musician to be aware of the pop landscape. One of the recent issues had a list of the 50 best singles of 2010, I downloaded each from http://beemp3.com and have been listening to them on repeat on the subway. My favorites are "the Ghost Inside" by Broken Bells, "We Used to Wait" by Arcade Fire, "the Diamond Church Street Choir" by the Gaslight Anthem and "the Trip to Pirate's Cove" by Tom Petty.
These days there is just so much media to go through that it's hard to remember that one must sit down and "enjoy" music. I remember at a CMJ conference in the 90s a singer from an industrial band called Spahn Ranch said "Music shouldn't be a huge stack in the 'in box' that you're trying to clear off of your desk. You should listen to what you want to listen to." That's the journey – finding those gems when time is at a premium.
I read another great book called Ripped: How the Wired Generation Revolutionized Music by Greg Kot. It's basically a "people's history of downloading" with some interesting quotes. There's a funny one about Ghostface Killah saying he has thousands and thousands of Myspace friends but only a percentage of them bought his album. "I got my firstweek SoundScan and I didn't appreciate that s***, you feel me?"
Someone responded that just because you have Myspace friend it doesn't mean they'll come to your house to help move furniture. "People don't really buy music these days FYI," the person added.
Kidney stones for Easter
I woke up Easter morning in excruciating pain. They say it's the guy version, and nothing feels worse than a mom in a hospital giving child birth. I guess the Easter Bunny came with a fun new gift, that's ironic chocolate eggs weren't on my list.
I'd felt the pain before. The feeling of two large mammals drilling down your leg, from your kidney into your bladder. It feels like your stomach is being ripped apart by weasels, the pain is excruciating. And all you can do is sit there and groan and pray for medication to come rescue you. It's no fun at all.
I woke up uncomfortable. I sat in the bathroom, alternating between the bathtub, the toilet, the bathtub, the toilet. I came out and asked if we could go to a doctor. Ouch. We went to Urgent Care of Olympia. They asked me to fill out six different forms as I sat hunched over in the chair aching. We waited a few hours and the doctor finally came in. They said they didn't have an X-ray machine. Awesome.
They sent us to the Capital Medical Center in Olympia. I sat resting my head on my jacket. They led us into the room. I sat on the table. They took blood pressure, asked me questions, and hooked me to an IV. They gave me pain medication. They wheeled me down the hall. I was friendly and gregarious with everyone I saw.
I came back and the pain started to hurt again.
MC Lars
Post-punk laptop rap.
"Walden" music video with Mega Ran
"1984" music video with Mega Ran and B. Dolan


I live in North Capitol Hill, and was walking my dogs this morning when I came across George Farris. He's been fighting the city for years over the damage done to his historical house (built in 1862) by the city. His story will ring familiar to many DC residents, an impossible-to-navigate DC bureaucracy that can make our lives miserable. George is elderly, and disabled from his service in the Vietnam War. It kills me that anyone has to deal with this kind of thing, much less someone like him.
The city is threatening to break his door down and he's chained himself to his front door to prevent it. I think your readers might find his story interesting. It all just breaks my heart.


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Thank you for interest in Black Hills Ski For Light. As a non-profit organization for 30 years, we deeply appreciate the support from individuals, businesses and organizations from across the United States.
First, a word of caution, volunteering to help us is extremely addictive. We have individuals who have been with us since 1979. Now that says a lot about the attraction and the tradition to serve our organization.
Our premier event is a four day winter ski program for the blind/visually impaired and the mobility impaired.
The strength and continued growth of our programs are a testament to the efforts of our volunteers. Our organization is a unique blend of blind, visually impaired, mobility impaired, and able bodied individuals. We attract an energetic, positive, and diverse group of people because of the nature of our outdoor programs. Our volunteers come from all walks of life, from all over South Dakota, and from many other states.
The breadth of activities leads us to seek volunteers with a wide variety of talents and skills. No special experience or requirements are needed to volunteer other than an desire to help others. The opportunities to assist are endless and include: guiding, event support, office staff, fund raising, event planning. These are a few of the areas open to our volunteers. If you have a skill or talent, we can use you. We invite you to join us as a volunteer. We welcome you to stop by one of our events to see us in action. If that is not possible, contact us to find out more about how you can assist us to continue our mission.
We know you will have an unforgettable experience and you will receive much more in return than you give.


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Listen to a clip from Balance of Power by Richard North Patterson, read by Pat Starr
From the courtrooms to the White House, an epic novel which confronts the terrible toll of gun violence so prevalent throughout the US, and now in the UK.
'A must read for anyone interested in the gun debate' Bill Clinton
Five months into his term, President Kilcannon and his fiancee, television journalist Lara Costello, have decided to marry. But the occasion is followed by a terrible tragedy: a massacre of innocents in a lethal burst of gunfire. It is a shattering event that consumes Kilcannon and his wife, challenging both their marriage, and his Presidency in such a personal way that Kilcannon vows to eradicate gun violence throughout the US.
In a high-stakes game of politics and legal manoeuvring where ideals collide in the Senate, the courtroom and across the country, President Kilcannon is determined to win at any cost.
But in the clash over gun rights and violence, the cost to both Kilcannons may be even higher than the President imagined.
Andrea Camilleri, author of the Inspector Montalbano series, dies aged 93
How to be successful? Become a generalist in a world of specialists
Our authors share their favourite independent bookshops

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Happy St. Patrick's Day!
February celebrations.
Due date for partnership and S corporation tax returns will soon be here.
The election to be an S corporation for calendar-year corporations is also due March 15.
Trust distribution deadline is March 6, 2019.
Cutoff for preparing tax returns will soon be here!
Make your tax return preparation interview appointment now.
Check out my latest blog post about the 20% of Qualified Domestic Business Income deduction.
Many taxpayers are getting smaller refunds or owe tax this year.
Should you consider making a Roth conversion during 2019?
Safe harbor issued for depreciating automobiles acquired after September 27, 2017 and placed in service before January 1, 2027.
IRS National Office analyses employer-provided meals.
Form 1040, Schedule A instructions omit excess deductions from an estate or trust.
Payments for "emotional distress" were taxable.
Taxpayer allowed to deduct late alimony payments.
Franchise Tax Board requests Form 3840 for California Like-Kind Exchanges.
Corporate owner of single member LLCs was required to include their apportionment information.
Limit on deduction for state and local taxes is causing headaches.
Visit our new book review: Retention Point
Clive Baker, who is my grandson, receives his brown belt promotion in mixed martial arts.
St. Patrick's Day is the occasion when all Americans celebrate being Irish! This year it falls on Sunday, March 17. It's time for the wearin' of the green! The luck of the Irish be with ye!
Did you know that St. Patrick used the THREE-leafed clover as an analogy for the Holy Trinity? The four-leaf clover is actually an American tradition.
My sister Arlene Gray McLean and my brothers-in-law Wade Allison and Lane Johnston, are celebrating birthdays this month. Happy Birthdays!
The due date for calendar year 2018 partnership and S corporation income tax returns is March 15, 2019. If the information for preparing them isn't complete, extension forms should be submitted with the estimated balance of tax by March 15.
Estates and irrevocable trusts for which the trustee has discretion for making distributions can elect to treat distributions made within 65 days after the year-end as made during the previous year. Distributions generally reduce taxable income for the estate or trust and carry taxable income to the beneficiaries of the estate or trust, who might have a lower marginal tax bracket. For 2018 calendar year trusts and estates, the deadline for making a distribution to make the election is March 6, 2019. Trustees and executors should consult with their tax advisor about whether their trust or estate and its beneficiaries would benefit from making such an election.
The first 2018 estimated tax payment for individuals and most other calendar year entities is also due on April 15, 2019. The penalties for late payment of estimated taxes are computed as simple interest, but the interest rate has been increasing. The federal estimated payment can be based on 25% of last year's tax liability. California "front loads" the first estimated tax payment as 30% of last year's tax liability. California taxpayers with taxable income of $1 million or more must make their estimated tax payments based on their actual income and deductions.
If you provide complete information for preparing your 2018 income tax returns by March 15, your tax returns should be finished in time to file them by April 15. Otherwise, an extension form should be submitted with a payment of any estimated balance of tax by April 15.
There is still time for a few personal interview appointments for preparing 2018 individual income tax returns. Many clients send their information without having an interview, but if you need that personal attention, you should schedule your interview appointment now. Call Ms. Thi Nguyen, CPA at 408-286-7400, extension 206.
I wrote a blog post about the final Treasury regulations at www.michaelgraycpa.com/posts/irs-issues-final-regulations-for-the-20-of-qualified-domestic-business-income-deduction/ Hope you'll find some valuable information there.
The IRS adjusted its withholding tables for the new tax law, but some of the assumptions were off. Even though their total federal income tax is lower, many taxpayers are finding when their tax returns are prepared that their refund is lower or they owe some tax. If you want a bigger refund next year, you should ask your employer to increase your federal income tax withholding for 2019 using Form W-4. You can specify an additional dollar amount to withhold for each paycheck on line 6 of the form. (Remember your state income tax withholding allowances should probably be different from the federal allowances.)
Many taxpayers should consider whether to convert their "regular" (taxable) IRA to a Roth IRA account during 2019. The price can be steep - the conversion is taxable. Advantages of the Roth include tax free growth and no required minimum distributions after reaching age 70 1/2. It seems likely federal income tax rates will increase after Trump leaves office. Before going ahead, consult with a qualified financial planner or tax advisor. Under the new tax law, you can't "undo" a Roth conversion.
Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, when a taxpayer elects to claim 100% bonus depreciation for a passenger vehicle subject to annual depreciation deduction limitations as a "luxury vehicle," the no deductions for the undepreciated amount in excess of the first year limitation ($18,000 for 2018) is allowed until the first year after the end of the recovery period. For example, for an 100% business-use automobile that costs $50,000 purchased and placed in service on June 30, 2018 for which 100% bonus depreciation is elected, the deduction for 2018 would be $18,000. No depreciation would be allowed for 2019 - 2023. The excess amount up to the annual limit, ($32,000 limited to $5,760) would be allowed for 2024.
The IRS has issued a Revenue Procedure to bypass the requirement to not depreciate the vehicle for intervening years. Under the Revenue Procedure, the remaining basis ($32,000 in the above example) would be depreciated using the percentages on the MACRS table for the remaining years, subject to the luxury vehicle limitations. (For a vehicle subject to the half-year convention, the percentages would be 32% for year 2, 19.20% for year 3, 11.52% for years 4 and 5, and 5.76% for year 6. The annual limits would be $16,000 for year 2, $9,600 for year 3, and $5,760 thereafter.) In the example, the depreciation would be the lesser of $10,240 or $16,000 for year 2, or $10,240, the lesser of $6,144 or $9,600, or $6,144 for year 3, the lesser of $3,686 or $5,670, or $3,686 for years 4 and 5, and the lesser of $1,843 or $5,670 for year 6. After the recovery period is over, any remaining basis is deductible, subject to the annual limitation. In the example, the remaining basis is $50,000 (cost) - $43,599 (total depreciation deductions) = $6,401. The deduction for year 6 would be the lesser of $6,401 or $5,670, or $5,670. The deduction for year 7 would be the lesser of the remaining basis, $6,401 - $5,670 = $731 or $5,670, or $731, leaving no remaining basis.
A taxpayer adopts the safe harbor method of accounting by applying it to deduction depreciation of its passenger automobile on its federal income tax return for the first taxable year after the year the passenger automobile is placed in service.
If a taxpayer elects to use the Section 179 expense election instead of 100% bonus depreciation, the Revenue Procedure won't apply, because depreciation deductions aren't suspended in that case.
It seems to me almost all taxpayers will want to use the safe harbor method, since it results in more depreciation deductions sooner than if they don't use it.
(Revenue Procedure 2019-13, Revenue Procedure 2018-25.)
The IRS National Office has issued a Technical Advice Memorandum about free employee meals. Under Internal Revenue Code Section 119(b)(4), all meals furnished on the business premises of an employer to its employee are treated as furnished for the convenience of the employer and excludable from the employee's income, if more than half of the employees to whom the meals are furnished on the premises are furnished the meals for the convenience of the employer.
In this case, meals were provided, without charge, to all employees, contractors, and visitors. (Meals were not provided on weekends.)
The IRS National Office concluded in this case the taxpayer didn't show that at least half of its employees were furnished meals for the convenience of the employer and the meals were taxable to its employees.
I think its likely the employer taxpayer will litigate this conclusion. This seems like a benefit that is impossible to track with the detail the IRS is requiring to compute a taxable benefit for each employee.
The IRS National Office agreed with the taxpayer that the value of snacks provided to employees are excludable as a de minimus fringe benefit.
Employers who provide free employee meals on their business premises, such as in employee cafeterias, should discuss this ruling with their tax advisors and possibly with their representatives in Congress. This is a very widespread practice in Silicon Valley.
(Private Letter Ruling 201903017.)
Excess deductions from an estate or trust are reported on Form 1041, Schedule K-1 for a beneficiary. According to the instructions for Schedule K-1, the beneficiary is entitled to a deduction for this amount. The instructions for Form 1040, Schedule A don't mention this deduction. It appears it should be reported on Form 1040, Schedule A on line 16 as an "other itemized deduction." (Internal Revenue Code Section 642(h)(2).)
The IRS has said it will eventually issue guidance relating to excess deductions from an estate or trust.
The Tax Court ruled that payments to a fired employee for emotional distress were taxable. Only payments for physical injuries are excluded from taxable income. The Tax Court rejected the taxpayer's argument that he suffered physical illness as a result of his emotional distress.
(Doyle v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2019-8.)
Jeffrey Siegel fell behind in making alimony and child-support payments. Finally he made payments of $225,000 in spousal support and $25,000 child support after a contempt order by the New York Supreme Court.
The IRS claimed the alimony payment wasn't tax deductible because it was made as a money judgment.
The Tax Court found the $225,000 alimony payment was tax deductible. It said lump-sum payments of alimony arrearages retain their character as alimony. It also said the contempt order gave Siegel the choice of making the payment or going to jail for 150 days. It did not require the payment if Siegel elected to accept the jail term.
(Jeffrey Siegel et. ux. v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2019-11.)
The California Franchise Tax Board has been contacting taxpayers who exchanged California real estate for out-of-state real estate but failed to file Form 3840 or filed an incomplete form. Evidently, some tax return preparation software didn't generate the form. (Maybe the input was missed?) In some cases, the second page of the form was omitted or incomplete.
Please remember to include this form each year after exchanging California real estate for out-of-state real estate until the out-of-state property is sold, or the taxpayer dies. The Franchise Tax Board has the discretion to accelerate the tax on the gain if the form isn't filed.
Six single member California LLCs paid nonconsenting nonresident tax on the share of income of a nonresident corporate owner. The corporation didn't include the apportionment information for the LLCs because it said the tax was already paid.
The California Supreme Court denied the petition of the corporate owner of the ruling by a California court of appeal that the apportionment information was required to be included on the corporation's income tax return.
(Buzl Distribution USA, Inc. v. FTB, California Supreme Court, Case No. 5252451, December 19, 2018 and Bunzl Distribution, USA, Inc. v. FTB, California Court of Appeals, First District, Case No. A137887, September 28, 2018.)
Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the federal income tax deduction for state and local income taxes is limited to $10,000. There are many questions relating to this limitation. If there is a combination of income taxes, real estate taxes and personal property taxes exceeding the limit, which is being allowed? This issue relates to things like whether the tax relates to investment income and is deductible when computing the net investment income tax or whether a refund of state income taxes isn't taxable because there was no tax benefit for the deduction.
There are no IRS guidelines relating to these matters. Evidently, tax return software providers are handling it by proration, but that might not be to the tax benefit of the taxpayer.
Retention Point Book Review at www.profitadvisors.com/retentionpoint.shtml


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How much can the Red Sox spend? When you project the payroll, it's a little complicated
By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated November 10, 2021, 5:34 p.m.
The Red Sox' success in 2021 — with a surprising run to the ALCS — reframed their goals from building toward a championship to competing for one.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
CARLSBAD, Calif. — Once again, it should be a very different offseason for the Red Sox.
Since the 2018 World Series, they have employed very different tactics in each of the subsequent winters. That pattern will continue.
After 2018, the Red Sox focused on maintenance, using financial flexibility to re-sign postseason heroes Nate Eovaldi and Steve Pearce, then reaching extensions in the spring with Chris Sale and Xander Bogaerts. Following the 2019 campaign, the signature transaction of chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom's first winter was one of subtraction: the trade of Mookie Betts.
With holes across the roster after 2020, the Red Sox made a number of low- to mid-sized bets, adding several players — Kiké Hernández, Hunter Renfroe, Garrett Richards, Martín Pérez, Marwin Gonzalez, and Hirokazu Sawamura through free agency; Adam Ottavino and Franchy Cordero through trades; and Garrett Whitlock through Rule 5 — for roster depth. The largest commitment was to Hernández, a two-year, $14 million deal.
Bloom acknowledges that in his first year, the Sox were "scaling back from a really high level" of spending after leading the big leagues in spending and surpassing the luxury-tax threshold in both 2018 and 2019. They had a degree of flexibility in 2020 as they tried to take a step forward from a last-place embarrassment but so many needs — and so little pre-existing major league depth — that they chose to spread the board.
Related: J.D. Martinez's decision to stay with Red Sox not difficult, according to agent Scott Boras
Now, they're in a different spot. The success in 2021 — 92 wins and a surprising run to the ALCS — reframed the goals from building toward a championship to competing for one. The holes are less gaping than they were entering last year.
Though there are two rotation spots open, Tanner Houck and Whitlock at least provide options. Second base is viewed by Bloom as an area where "we could add" but where Christian Arroyo provides a capable option when healthy. The bullpen requires additions (especially depending on how they use Houck and Whitlock), but the market is always deep in relievers.
Meanwhile, the farm system has a growing group in the upper levels that can help provide internal depth. Pitchers Josh Winckowski, Connor Seabold, Kutter Crawford, Brayan Bello, and eventually Bryan Mata (when he recovers from Tommy John surgery) all have a chance to contribute in 2022. Jarren Duran will have a chance to forge a place on the team. Triston Casas and Jeter Downs will open in Triple A but could force their way up.
That suggests that the Red Sox can start considering more targeted upgrades — including more prominent names in the trade and free agent markets.
What does Chaim Bloom have in store for 2022?Jim Davis/Globe Staff
"The deeper you are, the more you can cover different possibilities with the players you have, the more it changes the range of possibilities you can look at to where you might be able to justify doing something that you couldn't do if you had more holes at the same time," said Bloom.
That is particularly true given that the payroll situation has changed considerably since Bloom took over.
In spending position
There is an immense element of the unknown to this offseason. With the collective bargaining agreement set to expire Dec. 1, it's hard for teams to set payrolls given the uncertainty about where the luxury-tax threshold will fall and what the penalties will be for spending beyond it.
Still, the Sox seem intent on moving to address their offseason needs.
Related: Defensive flaws aside, Rafael Devers is seen as a Red Sox cornerstone at third base
"I think the nice thing about our ownership is that they never shied away from being opportunistic if it made sense," said Bloom. "Even viewing it from the outside, I've never felt that they cared more about a specific number [for payroll] than they did about doing what was the right thing for the organization. I don't expect that to change.
"We have some parameters that we're planning around, but we know that this winter, that doesn't get you as far as it usually does. The system is likely to change in some way. It could be small, it could be drastic change. So we have to take that into account as we plan but we don't want to have it paralyze us."
What does that mean? Right now, a look at the guaranteed contracts on the books, projected arbitration raises for players such as Rafael Devers, Alex Verdugo, and Renfroe, and players who are not yet arbitration-eligible suggests that the Sox are on the hook for something in the vicinity of $180 million-$185 million for next year.
How much are the Red Sox on the hook for? Here's a look at the projected payroll (figures are in millions). *denotes arbitration estimates from MLBTradeRumors.com.
SP1 Eovaldi 17 Sale 25.6
SP2 Sale 25.6 Pivetta Arb
SP3 Pivetta 3.2* Whitlock 0.6
SP4 Whitlock 0.6 Houck 0.6
SP5 ? ? ?
Bullpen
RP1 Barnes 9.375 Barnes 9.375
RP2 Brasier 1.4* Brasier Arb
RP3 Taylor 1.1* Taylor Arb
RP4 Hernandez 0.6 Hernandez Arb
RP5 Sawamura 1.2 Sawamura 1.2
RP6 Houck 0.6 ? ?
RP7 ? ? ? ?
Positional players
C1 Vázquez 6.75 ? ?
C2 Plawecki 2* Wong 0.6
1B Dalbec 0.6 Casas 0.6
2B ? ? ? ?
3B Devers 11.1* Devers Arb
SS Bogaerts 20 ? ?
LF Verdugo 3.2* Verdugo Arb
CF Hernandez 7 Duran 0.6
RF Renfroe 7.6* Renfroe Arb
DH Martinez 19.375 ? ?
Bench Arroyo 1.1* Arroyo Arb
Bench Locastro 0.7* Locastro Arb
Bench ? ? ? ?
Subsidy Price 16 None 0
SOURCE: MLB sources, MLBTradeRumors.com, Cot's Contracts, @redsoxpayroll
What is the projected payroll? Needs in 2022 include a starting pitcher, two relief pitchers, a second baseman, and players to fill out the bench (figures are in millions). *denotes arbitration estimates from MLBTradeRumors.com.
Rotation 46.4* 26.8
Bullpen 14.275* 10.575
Position players 77.625 1.8
Bench 1.8 0
Subsidy 16 0
Minor-league 40-man 2 2
Benefits 16 16
In-season moves 8 8
Arbitration estimate 45
Total 182.1 110.175
How much does that leave to spend? That's not yet known, but it certainly could be a lot, based on past spending behavior and even greater financial flexibility moving forward. The Sox were just under the $210 million luxury-tax line in 2021. They spent upward of $240 million on payroll in 2018 and 2019.
If the penalties for teams that "reset" their luxury-tax rates for at least one year and then spend beyond the threshold in 2022 prove relatively modest (as they have been under the current CBA), then the Sox are in a strong position to spend.
After 2022, the Sox have more than $70 million coming off the books. With the end of David Price's seven-year, $217 million deal, they no longer will be sending $16 million a year to the Dodgers for someone else's player. J.D. Martinez ($19.375 million), Eovaldi ($17 million), Christian Vázquez ($6.75 million in 2022), and — assuming he opts out — Bogaerts ($20 million) will be off the books.
Those departures will create some glaring needs but also possibilities that the Sox can start considering this winter.
Is this offseason the time for the Red Sox to make a play for Carlos Correa?Barry Chin/Globe Staff
This year's free agent class, for instance, features several elite middle infielders, among them Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Javy Báez, and Trevor Story. Next year's class will feature Trea Turner, Dansby Swanson, and potentially Bogaerts.
When is the right time for the Sox to fortify their middle-infield future? They at least have the freedom to consider a high-end addition this winter who would complement Bogaerts in 2022 and potentially beyond, or who could offer a fallback plan should he depart after the season.
A note of caution
Bloom has yet to sign a free agent to a deal of more than two guaranteed years or $14 million. Does he expect to have more conversations about deals of three-plus years moving forward?
Related: Xander Bogaerts is an institution as Red Sox shortstop — but for how much longer?
"I think that's likelier than not," Bloom said. "And even in the time that I've been here so far, there are things we explored that certainly could have taken that shape. For whatever reasons, for various reasons in each case, it just didn't happen.
"It wasn't something we were opposed to before. It's just there wasn't anything that made sense for both us and players we were negotiating with.
"So I would expect that that would change. Again, not because we were opposed to it before but just I think it's likelier as we go on that we'll line up for more of those types of things."
Of course, while the Sox are positioned to pursue deals that they haven't chased in recent years, they're also mindful that the wrong move could not only backfire but also leave them ill-positioned to address future needs (see Sandoval, Pablo).
As much as they feel they are well-positioned to address their roster now, they don't want to max out their payroll for several years in a single offseason — thus repeating the cycle of the last four offseasons.
Chaim Bloom talks with reporters during baseball's GM meetings earlier this week.Gregory Bull/Associated Press
"That's a different challenge — there's no question," Bloom said of the balancing act of upgrading the roster without hamstringing the future. "We're in a better and deeper position than where we were at this time last year. But that also isn't something that you take for granted.
"We want to be in a position where you can always take advantage of opportunities. The more avenues you cut off, the likelier it is that there's going to be a great opportunity you can't really capitalize on. So it's just something we have to balance.
"So I think it's a great position at the end, but it is a different challenge."
And with a different challenge will come a different kind of offseason — again.
Alex Speier can be reached at alex.speier@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @alexspeier.


text:
#include "Formatter.h"
#include "Util.h"

//----------------
AbstractFormatter::AbstractFormatter(AbstractByteBuffer *v_buf)
    : buf(v_buf)
{
    if (v_buf == NULL) throw BufferException("Cannot make HexFilter for NULL buffer!");
}

//---------------------------------------------------
const QString Formatter::operator[](std::size_t idx) const
{
    BYTE b = (*buf)[idx];
    if (pe_util::isPrintable(b) == false)
        return "\\x"+ QString::number(b, 16).leftJustified(2,'0');
    return QString(b);
}

const QString HexFormatter::operator[](std::size_t idx) const
{
    BYTE b = (*buf)[idx];
    return QString::number(b, 16).leftJustified(2,'0');
}
/*

BufferPrinter::BufferPrinter()
{
    this->addFormater(int formatterId, AbstractFormatter);

}

bool BufferPrinter::addFormater(int formatterId, AbstractFormatter *formatter)
{
    if (this->formatters[formatterId] != NULL) {
        return false; //already exist
    }
    this->formatters[formatterId] = formatter;
    return true;
}

bool BufferPrinter::useFormatter(int formatterId)
{
    if (this->formatters[formatterId] == NULL) {
        return false; //no such formatter
    }
    this->strategy = this->formatters[formatterId];
    return true;
}

void BufferPrinter::clearFormatters()
{
    std::map<int, AbstractFormatter*>::iterator itr;
    for (itr = formatters.begin(); itr != formatters.end(); itr++) {
        AbstractFormatter* f = itr->second;
        delete f;
    }
    formatters.clear();
}
*/

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Spatiotemporal Patterns Of ENSO-Precipitation Relationships In The Tropical Andes Of Southern Peru And Bolivia
ASU Author/Contributor (non-ASU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Joseph Anthony Jonaitis (Creator)
Appalachian State University (ASU )
Web Site: https://library.appstate.edu/
L. Baker Perry
Abstract: Precipitation in the tropical Andes is highly seasonal and exhibits considerable interannual variability. The primary driver in interannual variability is the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), with most investigations reporting that the El Niño (La Niña) results in negative (positive) precipitation anomalies across the region. Recent investigations, however, have identified substantial spatiotemporal differences in ENSO-precipitation relationships. Motivated by the dissimilarity of these findings, this study examines ground-based precipitation observations (= 90% completeness from 1972-2017) from 75 high-elevation (= 2,500 m asl) meteorological stations in southern Peru and Bolivia to identify distinct groups and associated variability in precipitation characteristics (e.g., total seasonal precipitation and wet season onset). Using no spatial constraints, the K-Means algorithm optimally grouped stations into five easily identifiable groups. Groups 3, 4, and 5 farthest from the Amazon basin had significant positive (negative) precipitation anomalies (p < .05) during La Niña (El Niño), while Groups 1 and 2 closest to the Amazon had opposite relationships. Additionally, though studies have reported delays in the wet season, years characterized by El Niño had an earlier wet season onset in all five groups. These findings may improve seasonal climate prediction, water resource management, and interpretation of ice cores in the region.
Created on 1/30/2019
Jonaitis, J. (2018). "Spatiotemporal Patterns Of ENSO-Precipitation Relationships In The Tropical Andes Of Southern Peru And Bolivia." Unpublished Master's Thesis. Appalachian State University, Boone, NC.
ENSO, Precipitation, Tropical Andes, Peru, Bolivia


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What does UPA stand for?
UPA stands for United Progressive Alliance (Indian political group)
This definition appears very frequently and is found in the following Acronym Finder categories:
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See other definitions of UPA
We have 140	other meanings of UPA in our Acronym Attic
UPA
MLA style: "UPA." Acronym Finder. 2022. AcronymFinder.com 18 Jan. 2022 https://www.acronymfinder.com/United-Progressive-Alliance-(Indian-political-group)-(UPA).html
Chicago style: Acronym Finder. S.v. "UPA." Retrieved January 18 2022 from https://www.acronymfinder.com/United-Progressive-Alliance-(Indian-political-group)-(UPA).html
APA style: UPA. (n.d.) Acronym Finder. (2022). Retrieved January 18 2022 from https://www.acronymfinder.com/United-Progressive-Alliance-(Indian-political-group)-(UPA).html
Union Professionnelle Artisanale (French: Professional Artisan Union)
Unique Particle Attribution
Unit Pay Administrator
Unit Pentadbiran Am (Malaysian government agency)
United Palestinian Appeal (Washington, DC)
United Pilots' Alliance (gaming)
United Powerlifting Association (est. 2007; Ohio)
United Press Association
United Productions of America
United Professionals' Association
United Protestant Association
United States Professional Poolplayers Association
Units Per Application (US Navy supply)
Units Per Assembly
Universal Port Aventura (Spanish Universal theme park)
Universal Powerline Association
University Preparatory Academy (San Jose, CA)
University Press of America (Rowman & Littlefield)
University Publications of America
Gandhi, who is the chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), also inaugurated a post office at Malik Mau Motor Chowk.
Sonia Gandhi visits Rae Bareli, inaugurates FM radio station
The decision, however, received flak from political circles, including some of the key alliance partners of the ruling Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government.
Diesel dearer by 10 cents in India
A senior source in the Committee confirmed to M AIL T ODAY that opposition members have demanded that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and ministers of the United Progressive Alliance government must depose before the panel.
JPC set for big ' fight'
ISLAMABAD, 22 May, 2009 (Balochistan Times) -- President Asif Ali Zardari has congratulations Chairperson, United Progressive Alliance and President, All India Congress Party Mrs.
Zardari, Gilani congratulate Sonia Gandhi on victory of Congress Party
By ISLAMABAD, 22 May, 2009 (Frontier Star) -- President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani congratulating the Chairperson, United Progressive Alliance and President, All India Congress Party Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on their election victory have said that Pakistan will continue to work with India for settlement of all outstanding issues.
President, PM greet Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan on election victory
In the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, Pawar had played a crucial role.
After Lalu, Congress now humiliates NCP chief


text:
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