Reaching out

A mechanical arm capable of grabbing 120 items per minute was declared the victor at Japan’s Robot of the Year Award.  The arm was selected because of its practicality.

The robot analyzed digital images of randomly placed items on a fast-moving conveyer belt and used a suction cup the blows air in and out to pick the items up.

Japan has established the competition (which is funded by the government) in order to keep the cutting edge of robot technology sharp and to promote further advances.  When judging, entrants are generally considered for their use in business and production rather than leisure.

 

Band sells out for sold-outs?

Back in 1997, Against Me! was nothing more than a one-man acoustic protest based in Gainesville Florida.  That is until Tom Gable decided it was time for a change.  His vision was to add more musicians, something his original fans had trouble seeing.

That was only the beginning.  The band really hit it big in 2005 when they signed with Sire Records.  The band had fans screaming mutinty, but had they really sold out to the big man?

It’s generally stated that punk rock music loses its edge and meaning once record labels and big multi-national corporations start calling the shots.  Well examples show bands falling victim to the demands of head honchos and teeny boppers everywhere, but who’s defining punk now anyway?

It’s now 2008 and Against Me!’s “New Wave” has been called the greatest punk rock album of the year.  It’s also the band’s first record put out by a big time producer.  There arent any acoustic tracks, which would certainly be enough to have fans calling foul, but they’re all missing something slightly spectacular here.

Over the years and through all the money, the album is still singing the same tune that Tom Gable sang 11 years ago in Gainesville–songs of protest and time basically spent doing whatever the hell they want.  Maybe its the money that’s got everyone up in arms, but everyone can be assured one thing.  Those same heckler’s will be calling out “New Wave” songs at live shows in just a few years.

 

Tour Dates

Against Me!’s world Tour continues here in the U.S.

February 17: Towson, MD

February 18: Worcester, MA

February 19: New York, NY

February 21: Philadelphia, PA

February 22: Binghamton, NY

February 23: Cheswick, PA

February 24: Detroit, MI

February 25: Chicago, IL

February 27: Minneapolis, MN

February 28: Council Bluffs, IA

February 29: Ft. Collins, CO

March 2: Glendale, AZ

March 3: San Diego, CA

March 5 & 6: Inglewood, CA

 From there it’s onto Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Luxembourg and Holland.  All of the North American Shows will be played with The Foo Fighters.  Once in Europe, the band will be joining up with Dropkick Murphy’s.  For more information, including venues, opening bands and showtimes visit http://www.againstme.net/am.php/shows/index.  To purchase tickets go to http://www.ticketmaster.com.

 

Against Me!’s Gift to Migrant Families

Against Me! has decided to start the year off in good faith, so to follow in their slightly (or entirely) more musically oriented footsteps, so will this blog.

The band has recently played three Foo Fighter tour shows to benefit the Harvest of Hope Foundation–one in Florida, one in Georgia and one in Arkansas.  The charity helps migrant farm workers and their families with food, money, education grants and supplies.

 To join the band and help, please visit http://harvestofhope.net