So really, if you think about it, you guys still love us. It’s that sinkhole you should set on fire! Without further adieu, I present this month’s shitbeat, The Black Keys. Maybe I’ve been watching too much Supernatural and thus, have begun to crave whiny electric guitar music accompanied by bouncing bikini clad women. Two things that Dean Winchester loves. I love that man.

So here’s an “unofficial” Black Keys video.

And an official video.

7D SHITASTIC I TELL YA.

That’s right, the same bootiful camera owned by both Patty The Pot Potastic and Han the Han Solo. Better get on that bandwagon now.

Looking at all that 1980’s pixel goodness just made me realize how much of an impact this one toy had on my life.

I had a tablet in my hands when I was 5 and I didn’t even know it. And hey ho, now I never travel without my wacom. In fact, the last time I left my Intuos at home I ended up picking up a bamboo touch/pen. Such a addict. Tsk tsk.

There’s just something about holding a pen, but looking at a screen. Such a small gesture, but such transformative one in terms of interfacing.

Anyone out there with a My First Sony Electronic Sketchpad, I will purchase it for SGD$200. (It’s sale price in the 1980’s was USD$99.)

Images taken from Ebay seller rickerabc, who sold this off for USD$10.49.

We especially like their Gaga cover…

Telephone!
Youtube>>

Remember this fated post back in December? I spoke about how with all the quality music acts coming to our hot and cold, strangeland island of Singapore, there needed to be more TRASH for crying out loud. I mentioned that Peaches should come to Singapore to shock and perturb local men by asking them to impeach her bush while looking like a butter factory ape. Well boys, it’s time to get perturbed, the technogods have spoken and number 2 on my list, Peaches, is coming and performing at Zirca. It’s cool. But eurgh, it’s at Zirca. But hay, it’ll be trashier than trash I suppose. Squee!

Alas, to accompany this short post, I give you… lazertits.com! No explanation required.

Tavi Gevinson, 13 year old fashion blogger of www.thestylerookie.com

Then there are some young’ns who luckily, have the smarts to get it right. Way more than I had it right back then anyway. About a year ago, Tavi Gevinson, 13 year old blogger, was featured in New York Times. Now, she’s practically a reknowned fashion blogger. At 13. One wonders how appropriate this is but once you read her, you’ll realize, it’s totally appropriate. The girl has smarts. Take this post for example. The girl actually refers to Dave Eggers and discusses the future of fashion blogging in detail.

Here’s an excerpt from one of her blogposts:

“You know, in the beginning of The September Issue, Anna Wintour says she thinks some people mock fashion because they are intimidated by it. As much as I do admire Wintour, (and I still think she wouldn’t be criticized for being cold if she was a man, but this rant is for another time) I rarely agree with what she says, but this is an exception. Yeah, it’s snobby, but you know what? So is turning up your nose at a runway collection because you thinks it’s weird and you just don’t get it. This, in fact, makes the nose-turner-upper not too different from those horrible “fashion” magazines – dismissing something because it’s strange. How very narrow-minded.”

With that, Tavi says what I always want to say about the haters of fashion. Yes, I mean you Professor Meridel and Chan Pohling. It’s honestly quite invigorating to have a teenager say it all and say it well.

I was discussing with a friend where Singapore is kinda at, at this point of time. And we agreed it’s kinda like 50s America here now. Everything is modern, functioning, and pleasant. But points of view are pretty much still riding in the narrow lane. But seeing my cousin get into photography at 15, and the country really just embarking on embracing more than just a wad of money and so called idea of familial happiness is a little encouraging. Hopefully our generation will toss out bras and burn ten year series in due time. Plus it wouldn’t be bad if more people had beautiful boots.

Sigh, with smart kids like that around, sometimes I forget that shit like this:

even exists. :[

Click for Salier’s Music Video of Massive Attack’s Splitting The Atom

Bigelow snatching the Oscar from the quintessential balding white male director.

So here’s a little test. Name the directors you know and love. Now, name the female ones. Kinda hard eh? With international women’s day just wrapping up, one has to wonder what a day like that means.

I was just listening to the local radio, and I overheard a DJ and a listener conversing about Women’s Day. It went something like this.

DJ: What does Women’s Day mean for you?

Listener: (spangly singaporean nasalness ensues) Oh, weeelll… It means I think I am an independent woman. That women are strong! Happy Women’s Day Singapore.

Earth to ignorant Singaporean woman, International Women’s Day is a day where women in the past rallied, protested and truly fought for their rights. Demonstrations marking International Women’s Day in Russia proved to be the first stage of the Russian Revolution of 1917. It isn’t just some day where you profess empty words on how you think you’re independent like some mind numbing Destiny’s Child song.

Alright, I’m sorry for raging on your screen. Let’s get back on point here. We wanted a post to celebrate some of the female directors we have adored in the past and Miss Bigelow herself. To all the non-filmmaking related people out there, this applies too. There are still many male dominated fields that could you know, use a little elbow nudge from a lady. And here are the ladies who have made a nudge in mine.

Kathryn Bigelow

When I told Pat Kathryn won, Pat said, “it’s about time”. Unapologetically female, Bigelow once modelled and isn’t ashamed to say so. People question whether it really is a triumph for women that Bigelow won because of the fact that her film was so male oriented. My opinion: Does it matter? To me it doesn’t. She directed well, the performances were strong, it doesn’t matter.

Sofia Coppola

One of my favourite directors ever, and the most well known in this list. I don’t know whether it was seeing her calm and collected presence in the midst of directing a crazy prom scene in the Virgin Suicides DVD extras or the fact that when discussing the topic of her movie, Marie Antoinette, Coppola said, “You’re considered superficial and silly if you are interested in fashion, but I think you can be substantial and still be interested in frivolity.” That and I love her films of course.

Not all great films have to be about deep set social and political change or adversity to be great.

The underrated Adrienne Shelley

I watched Waitress, I loved it. I checked out who made it so I could watch her future work. And I discovered shortly before being picked up for Sundance, someone robbed and murdered her in her apartment. Thanks murderer, there aren’t many female directors around in Hollywood and you axed one for a flat screen tv!

Miranda July

Miranda July comes up in my film classes, my drama classes, writing classes. Perhaps too emotional for New Yorkers claim the Pat, more for Californians claim the Pat. All things considered, NEEDS TO BE KNOWN to Singaporeans, claim the Manda. Lets explore outside the realms of Jack Neo’s cross eyed skanky scandal to the better things in life, shall we?

In the end, it’s a beautiful thing to see change happening and it is. I often struggle through the penis power play going on in the film industry. But being a minority has its perks. I know how it’s like to be on the outside looking in, and I know not to take things for granted. So I leave you with this link and this…

I started out making an oscar lady but it somehow turned into a HOT! TRANNY! MESS! It’s horribleness with a Lost In Translation wig. Booyah, shitbits.

But first, some miscellany!

Morbid comics from ManEggs!

And… Some Gremlin goodness from Designkins (via DesignYouTrust). I’m aware of the fact that I don’t wear caps. But hey, I also own a Hello Kitty Toaster. SO! FUCKYEAHUSELESSSHITBITS.

AND ONWARD!

Which word in the dictionary is most tainted with adolescent shame? Hand’s down, no-doubt, it’s goth.

Anyone outside of the cult of moody knows the goth look is designed to fug everyone. Statistically, chances that any given person looks good with pale face paint, greasy blue hair and a pin-cushion face is next to none. But don’t be harsh, it’s surprisingly hard to resist when you’re an angry tween. I wallow in shame every time I recall all the (now destroyed) evidence of my time as a confused clubbing gothchild.

But strangely, things like Tamagotchi and pokémon die, but Goth RAGES ON! Look, Disney’s finally declaring the moody-moody-slash-wrist market mainstream. Wall Street Journal declares: “Walt Disney Co.’s consumer-products division is aiming its marketing firepower at young women and teenage girls, particularly those who gravitate to darkly romantic entertainment like the Twilight series.”

” [Disney's] zeroing in on Hot Topic with jewelry, shirts, and other baubles while a Los Angeles location is becoming a miniature Wonderland. There will be a mingle-with-the-stars event for fans, and “goth-pop” bands from the soundtrack will provide the tuneage.” (via Cinematical.)

Sure, Disney’s investment in black lipstick isn’t anything new. They’ve always has Burton in their stable, but now, with the King of dark-cute leading the march with Alice in Wonderland, Mickey’s household’s gonna see some changes.

Just a couple of weeks ago, a cute chinese teen girl with a little Avenge Sevenfold backpack showed up at my home (family friends visiting from Sydney) and asked me if I knew where to buy Slipknot tees in Singapore. Man. After much ethical debate on my part, we skipped to Far East Plaza to complete the mission. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt as I let her purchase those horrid, unflattering black t-shirts. How did I ever wear these baggy shirts with tacky band logos emblazoned across both the front and back for maximum fug? But ah, well, she was full of glee and I wasn’t about to rain on her little black parade.

If I could tell her one thing, it’d be that the worst of skank is more forgiving than a goth FAIL, plus you get laid more.

You are intensely awesome.

Vivian Vee, Misc. Shit Bit’s featured Shitbeat for Feb 2010.

With head-bobbing love,
The Shitbits

The nutty nutty showreel of Meindbender Animation Studio. It made me feel so… rightminded. They do this stuff for the cartoon network, I’m pretty sure their audience are the quirky children. It’s nice to know someone out there is looking out for us.

From Meindbender via The Reels – The Official Demo Reel Channel on Vimeo
Check them out at meindbender.com