Watch this video through, then shutdown your device and ask yourself some questions.

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Everclear – Heroin Girl (1995)

People may very well remember Everclear and songs such as Santa Monica, and Father of  Mine may even spring to mind but Heroin Girl is a power rock ditty that still rocks hard as Art Alexakis pays tribute to the deaths of both his brother and girlfriend to drugs.

Local H – High-Fiving MF (1996)

This track is dirty, rough and raucous, but you cannot help but bop your head along to it. This song is the epitome of what non-mainstream punk was like in the 90s. Crank the volume and prepare to throw yourself around.

Nada Surf – Popular (1996)

This song you may recall and it may have even sparked the small spoken word rock song movement but the angst ridden Kinsion style lyrics are just as tasty as the guitar riffs. Yes, Nada Surf may verbally paint you a portrait of aspired teenage school life as portrayed in Gloria Winters’ 1964 book Penny’s Guide to Teen-age Charm and Popularity but Ms Winters never though her words would be spat with as much gusto.

Green Jellÿ – Bear Song

These are the heavy metal guys that bought you Three Little Pigs but they were more than just a one hit wonder. Their music is solid. Not for those without a sense of humour, Green Jellÿ rocked Hollywood in the 90s with their catchy anthem like tunes.

Shihad – The General Electric (1999)

Before Flight of the Conchords, Shihad were the ones that rocked out for New Zealand. With a steady beat and a killer two chord riff, Shihad’s rock anthem was one to get the mosh pit moving.

Elastica – Connection (1994)

Who is Elastica? I hear you ask. Only the British rock band fronted by Justine Frischmann, who in my opinion set the tone for the ‘Brian Molko look’. Connection was considered good enough by Mike Judge to be subject to critical review from Beavis and Butthead.

Kittie – Brackish (1999)

What about Canada? They crack the list courtesy of Kittie with their mega-track Brackish. The first single off their album Spit, Kittie saw their stardom skyrocket in the rock and roll world but have never found the success they found with their first major release.

Ween – Push the lil Daisies (1992)

The rumors were thick and fast when this single hit the airwaves. Were they drunk? Were they on drugs? Who cares.  Dean and Gene from Ween put together a song that people enjoyed then and we are bringing it back now.

Orgy – Blue Monday (1999)

A cover song you ask? Yes, Orgy covered New Order’s 1983 song Blue Monday and gave it their own eerie dark sound with thick distorted guitars complimenting teeth rattling bass. With Jay Gordon’s overly processed voice sitting over the top this is one track that you will always sing along to when you are rocking out in your car.

L7 – Pretend that we’re Dead (1992)

This track was part of the iconic Radio-X playlist from the game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, but how many of you remember it? This track sums up just about everything that was right with early 90s alternative rock. Give it a spin and feel young again.

That is just ten tracks that still rock from the 90s. I feel like I could keep going on listing song after song. Which ones did we miss out? Which ones would you add to the list? Tell us in the comments section below.

The post 10 songs that you have probably forgotten about but still rock appeared first on andrise.com.

On New Year’s Day, 2012, Alexa was just being a five year old kid and sneaked a swig of her step-mom’s soda. As punishment for her action, Alexa was made to imbibe almost two and a half litres of grape soda and water in no more than two hours.  The blonde haired and blue eyed Alexa wet herself and vomited throughout the ordeal before passing out. Her father and step-mom bought Alexa’s unresponsive body to the hospital three hours later.

Alexa died two days later from acute fluid intoxication. The insurgence of liquid caused Alexa’s sodium level to drop which swelled the brain can causing brain damage. The autopsy report also notes that Alexa has bruised on her body and cuts on her face.

Both parents have been charged with first degree murder, aggravated child abuse and a couple of counts of aggravated child neglect and pleaded not guilty at a court hearing last Friday.

An obituary in the local rag described Alexa as someone who loved being with her family, loved animals and enjoyed coloring and playing with her Barbie dolls.  She sounds just like an ordinary five year old to me.

It has always amazed me how someone could treat their offspring with such callous regard and since I have become a parent it has absolutely disgusted me; but instances such as this seem to be in the headlines at regular intervals.

It was only last week a Californian couple were charged with the murder a three year old girl who was beaten to death before having her body placed in a suitcase and put in the freezer. In 2011, an Australian man posted on Facebook before stabbing his child to death in an effort to get back at the child’s mother, the presiding Justice remarked during sentencing“the victim was your infant daughter, and she was killed by the one man in the world whose duty it was to love, nurture and protect her”.

These are just two examples of many and though the facts around each case may differ, the tragedy is the same.

Imagine the thought of these little kids not understanding why one of the people they love the most is hurting them. At that age they don’t realize that their parents/parent are complete tools; but have nothing but adoration and affection for them. They don’t understand the politics of a relationship, they don’t understand what they have done wrong or even if they have done wrong.

Now, I am not one to send in the cavalry when a child has done wrong, nor am I a hippy who believes that children should free of punishment and consequences for their actions.  What makes me irate about Alexa Linboom’s case in particular is that she was emotionally shamed into punishment. At no stage was Alexa shown any respect from her parents or thought into what may have motivated her behavior considered.

I do believe that children do need to have boundaries set and they do need to be set far enough so that they can develop emotionally  but not too far that they lose the influence of their much needed role models.  Punishments that serve no purpose other than to shame do nothing but implode a child’s self-esteem, stain their self-expression and stagnate their development of emotional intelligence.

The story of Alexa Linboom continually plays in my mind. I find myself switching from anger to despondency. The thought of this poor little girl suffering whilst just to appease her parents is too much. Should Alexa need to be addressed for taking something she shouldn’t have? Yes. But what was her punishment teaching her?

To Alexa Linboom and all the other children killed at the helm of their parents or guardians, my heart goes out to you all. You all deserved better.

A slow and painful death is no suitable punishment for taking an unpermitted sip of soda.

For more information on the repercussions of shame punishment please read in Robin Grille’s article Good Children.

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2013 will be remembered for Kobe’s injury and not Dwight Howard’s attention seeking through free agency.

Zucca’s depiction of 2013 is a trip down short memory lane. I swear some of these things felt like more than a year ago.

So click on the picture and take a look at it (open in a new tab even). Let us know your favorite 2013 moments captured and what moments he missed in the comments section below.

For us. Zucca missed the birth of AndRise.

The post 2013 in one picture appeared first on andrise.com.

The old adage ‘Sex Sells’ is rather short sighted when all it does is aim to appeal to the lowest common denominator. It is a cliché and unoriginal and says more about your organization or product than you might think. If the advertising gurus think the best way to sell your burger, or deodorant or drink is to sexualize a particular gender then there is a good chance your product is shit.

The music industry may just be the worst offender of all. It is a damn shame that females such as Miley Cyrus and Rihanna do absolutely nothing but further drive a wedge between gender equality with their revealing clothes and gyrating whilst Hip Hop or R & B musicians, or whatever they want to be called, drape scantily clad women all over their film clips. But why do they do it? Because their product is shit and sexualizing it somehow masks that.

The amount of politicians and television presenters featured in the clip is alarming. Even if half the short clips were to be cited by the speaker as taken out of context it still shows that mankind has a long way to go.

So, please. Take the time to watch the clip and consider this. How sad is it that there is enough disparity between both genders in the media that videos like this need to exist? Society is rather impressionable by the media. Who needs people growing up thinking that is how you as a woman should behave or this is how women should be treated. Even now, as you are reading this and think that a woman’s place is in the kitchen then ask yourself why Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay are the world’s most successful chefs. Hint. It isn’t because they are sexualized.

More information on the The Representation Project can be found on their website.

The post How the media portrayed women in 2013 appeared first on andrise.com.

There is no doubt that the depth chart of TV shows got thinner by the end of 1993 as numerous shows which are still glorified with cult status today were put to bed that year.

Neil Patrick Harris hung up his stethoscope and wrote the world’s first offline version of a blog for the last time in Doogie Howser, M.D. Kevin Arnold had moved on with his life in The Wonder Years. Balki Bartokomous and Cousin Larry traded work for babies in Perfect Strangers. Zack, Slater, Screech and company graduated high school in Saved by the Bell. And last drinks were called in Cheers.

Other notable shows that wound up were Count Duckula, Quantum Leap, Late Night with David Letterman and Double Dare. That was a physical challenge indeed.

It wasn’t all bad news for television twenty years ago though.

Letterman moved from Late Night to Late Show with David Letterman. Other notable 1993 debuts in television included Beavis and Butthead serving us such tasty insights to then modern pop culture, particularly within the music industry. Chuck Norris kicked ass as Walker, Texas Ranger. Agent Fox and Mulder showed us the truth is out there in The X-Files. Conan O’Brien debuted as the new Late Night host. Ricki Lake kicked off her talk show. Corey (what a cliché 90s name) kicked it up with Shawn & Topanga in Boy Meets World much to the anger of Mr. Feeny. And Louis & Clarke: The New Adventures of Superman turned the average looking Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain into sex symbols.

On top of that, Mr Bean, Rocko’s Modern Life, Marsulipami, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Homicide: Life on the Street, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers,  NYPD Blue and The Nanny all found their way to television in 1993.

Other television twenty years ago events saw:

• Dr. John Hewson obliterate his chances of winning the Australian Federal Election after not being able to explain his tax policies in what became known as the ‘Birthday Cake Interview’;
• Michael Jackson conduct his first interview since 1979 with Oprah at Neverland Ranch. This was only a few weeks after Jackson had performed a medley of his songs at the Superbowl;
•  Barry White appear in The Simpsons saving the snakes with Bart & Lisa;
•  Saved By the Bell saw a spin off, Saved By The Bell: The College Years; and
• Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera became cast members on The New Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

So there we have it. Television twenty years ago wasn’t so bad. In fact, I would go as far as to say that it was probably better than some of the smut circling today. Spare me the scantily clad drones vying for their 15 minutes of fame whilst apparent judges are more interested in staying relevant than they are in the talent before them. Give me the classics.

The post Television twenty years ago appeared first on andrise.com.

Depending on what is weighing most heavily on your mind, you will have more readily identified with the phrase, “Start That Habit Today” or conversely, “Stop That Habit Today” in the title line of this article. We all harbor niggling thoughts in our lives — the speed bumps on the road to contentment. I’m making it my task to repave the road and smooth the path.

Today is your day to do it too. Not tomorrow, today. Postponement is the enemy of progress; the friend of procrastination and failure.

Look, it’s okay to stop reading now. I know that for most people, this post resembles a chimp left alone with a frog, but I know that there is at least one person out there who simply needs this kick in the rear end to make a change.

I’m writing this post, because I made the conscious decision to kick some habits — time-sapping habits — and replace that lost time with habits I wanted to resume, like writing more frequently. This post, of itself, is no masterpiece. I am quick to admit that.

The reality remains, however, that the first step in changing a habit is often the hardest. And the most fruitful in creating a change in your life.

You know how you want to quit smoking? Think about why you want to do it so much and just simply start right now, not tomorrow, not later today, but now, by taking control.

You know how you want to take control of your life and the mess around you? Well, clean that house from top to toe, right now. Sure, it might be such a mammoth task that you have to start with one room at a time, but it will get the ball rolling. It will empower you to continue the next day.

That tax return you had to do? Pull out the papers and get it going. You will feel SO much better.

We all have something that we want to StopStart. Now is the time to get the ball rolling. I’m calling you out on it.

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Damian Echols, Jesse Misskelley, and Jason Baldwin at ap ress conference moments after being released

It was two years ago that the West Memphis Three were released from prison. Now, two years might seem like a long time to you and me but when you have spent almost two decades in prison I’m sure two years feels like a drip.

In 1994, the West Memphis Three — Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jesse Misskelley — were convicted of the 1993 murders of three eight year old boys, Chris Byers, Steve Branch, and Michael Moore — apparently as part of a satanic ritual. Echols, the then 18-year old ringleader was sentenced to death whilst the 16-year old Baldwin and 17-year old Misskelley were sentenced to life imprisonment.

The bodies of the eight-year old boys were found hogtied with shoelaces in a drainage ditch in Robin Hood Hills near West Memphis, Arkansas. In the midst of a nationwide fear of satanic rituals the police identified a couple of teenagers who wore black clothes and listened to heavy metal music as prime suspects.

Originally bought in as a witness, Jesse Misskelley, a boy with low intelligence, was interrogated for twelve hours without a guardian or lawyer present. He was coerced into a false confession that also implicated Echols and Baldwin, that at times had inconsistencies with itself and the crime scene. The three teenagers who became known as ‘The West Memphis Three’ were charged with the three murders. Misskelley’s trial was heard first and in February 1994 he was found guilty and sentenced to life on the inside.

West Memphic Three mugshots

Echols’ and Baldwin’s trials were held together soon after. Armed with a sketchy police investigation, a side show of apparent expert witnesses (witnesses who would later recant their stories), a bunch of circumstantial evidence and a book on Wicca found at Echol’s abode (remember, Wicca is different to Satanism), the prosecution managed to sway the jury towards guilty convictions. Judge David Burnett sentenced Baldwin to life and Echols to death.

A documentary crew there to chronicle how a group of teenagers could commit such evil acts began to notice oddities in the case and began to change their original vision of their documentary, which went on to be called Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, bringing international attention to the case. The documentary marked the first time that metal band, Metallica permitted their music for use in a movie.

As the years went on the ‘Free the West Memphis Three’ movement grew with many benefit gigs and celebrities such as Peter Jackson, Johnny Depp, Henry Rollins, The Dixie Chicks and Margaret Cho joining the plight. Perhaps the most vocal celebrity endorser was Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder who often donned West Memphis Three t-shirts and incorporated West Memphis Three lyrics into songs at concerts. Whilst support of the WM3 grew, in the court room appeals and post-conviction hearings were denied which halted the Three’s quest for exoneration.

In 2007, DNA collected from the crime scene was tested, the result showing no DNA matches to the West Memphis Three, but found a hair follicle “not inconsistent” with Steve Branch’s step father Terry Hobbs as well as evidence showing that markings on the victims bodies were made by animals in the area. Echol’s lawyers filed papers with the court to have the matter reheard along with Echol’s release immediately from prison. Alarmingly, the application came before the original trial judge, Judge Burnett, who rejected the evidence, citing the DNA testing as inconclusive and denied the application for retrial.

It was around this time that many believers of the West Memphis Three’s guilt began to change their opinion. John Mark Byers, father of victim Chris Byers and the most vocal supporter of the WM3 guilt became a vocal supporter of their innocence and Pamela Hobbs, mother of Steve Branch publicly called for the verdicts to be reopened.

A year later it was revealed that the foreman of the jury who was desperate to convict had bought up Jesse Misskelley’s confession (which had been ruled inadmissible) during deliberations, in an attempt to sway undecided members of the jury. In 2010 the Arkansas Supreme Court ordered the judge in the lower court to examine whether the new DNA evidence could exonerate the Three as well as investigate the alleged misconduct by the jurors in the Echols and Baldwin trial. It wasn’t until Judge David Laser replaced Judge David Burnett that the application began to gain some steam and the appeal to rehear the matter was successful.

In August 2011, after weeks of negotiation, in a courtroom packed with celebrities, people involved with the case and media, Judge Laser vacated the previous verdicts so that Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley, now in their mid-30s, could enter Alford Pleas — essentially a guilty plea although the defendant proclaims their innocence, because it is in their best interests to. Judge Laser accepted those pleas and released the three due to time already served.

Eddie Vedder at the press conference outside the court room

There they were, after a little more than eighteen years in prison and on death row; Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley, finding themselves leaving the courtroom, this time not in shackles, but rather jumping into a SUV with Eddie Vedder and driving down the street to freedom. Initially Jason Baldwin was against the idea of an Alford Plea as he wanted to maintain his innocence, however he changed his mind when he realized what it would mean to Echols. John Mark Byers, who was at the hearing said “three young men have had 18 years of their lives taken away” before adding “to see them get out and have a normal life is a blessing from God”.

A lot has changed in eighteen years. Echols and Baldwin were seen running around parties snapping pictures on smartphones, totally amazed at the technology we take for granted. Integration back into the real world wasn’t easy.

But why the guilty pleas, you may ask? Well, the answer is simple. Ultimately it works for the West Memphis Three because it was a quick resolution to eighteen years of fighting whilst being in prison. Though they may be able to win at a rehearing there was no guarantee that they would and all three would remain in custody whilst waiting for the trial dates. But the big win is for the State of Arkansas who by being able to keep the convictions get to keep the file closed. That helps with the clearance rate, especially staring down the barrel of a retrial which would introduce DNA evidence, witnesses who recanted their stories, alleged juror misconduct and a sketchy case (it isn’t every day they release a convicted killer on death row back into society). The state also no doubt saves potentially millions of dollars in three wrongful imprisonment cases too.

Damien Echols now lives in Salem with his wife, writing books on his life, tinkering in art and guest speaking across the United States. Jason Baldwin is living in Seattle with his girlfriend and is working towards a law degree and, Jesse Misskelley went back to West Memphis to be near his father, became engaged and studied to become an auto mechanic.

To learn more about the West Memphis Three, do yourself a favor and locate the Paradise Lost documentary trilogy and head over to the West Memphis Three support fund group,  http://www.wm3.org.

 
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So much for saving the world, curing cancer or even making devices, ‘scientists’ at the University of Edinburgh have built a computer that writes sexist jokes.

Now before you get all excited and start counting your pennies to see if you can afford one (cue Simpsons quotes “I’ll pay $50 for one”) you need to know a couple of things.

Firstly, like some good comedy this computer relies on a formula which is fine, but this one chugs along on the “I like my X like I like my Y…Z” formula with variables for the X, Y, & Z parameters. Seems pretty basic I know and something a computer savy kid could churn out in a few minutes.

Secondly, No doubt the computer is Scottish therefore no one can understand it.

Thirdly, the computer just isn’t that funny. Check these piles of steaming turds the computer spat out

Some of the less PC jokes generated by the PC

• I like my women like I like my gas … natural
• I like my men like I like my acorns … buried
• I like my boys like I like my sectors … bad
• I like my men like I like my monoxide – odourless
• I like my men like I like my court … superior

And some that are even more lame

• I like my coffee like I like my war … cold
• I like my relationships like I like my source … open
• I like my fish like I like my text … raw
• I like my business like I like my fish … small

David Matthews, the one who was part of the team that created this, not the one from the Dave Matthews Band said that “when they tested the jokes on volunteers they found they laughed”. Yeah, Dave. Probably at the thought of a team of scientists wasting their time on this, but then again, he isn’t going to proclaim that the man hours put in to this were wasted.

Now maybe Dave is the comedian here, trolling the world and maybe even getting grant money to fund it. Maybe they are just a sad bunch scientists who actually think the computer is funny. Either way, Dr Matthews will be off to present this computer to the Association for Computational Linguistics annual meeting in Bulgaria. No doubt Microsoft Sam, the default Tom Tom GPS voice, KITT and The Matrix are on the panel.

I like my sexist joke telling computers like I like my comedy…….. funny. This one is not.

Relax, so-called comedians. You aren’t out of a job… yet.

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They have been oppressed, ridiculed and exiled for something beyond their control.

They are the ones who smudge their words as they write upon a board. They are the ones who recklessly flip guitars upside down! They are the ones who struggle with even the most simplest of can openers.

They are, of course, Lefties.

August 13. Left-Hander Day. A day we tip our hats and offer a left-handed salute to Mollydookers.

No one knows where they came from or why they are here. All we know is they make up about 10% of the world’s population and are weird to look at.

If you look around you can see their influence. From the Louvre to legislation and we at AndRise are proud to honor the ole Southpaw with a top 10 of the most prolific Lefties influencing the World today, in all their backwards glory.

Yojne. (That’s Lefty for, ‘enjoy’. What, that’s not how it works?! On with the list!)

1. James Cameron (Brought you the biggest movie in the world. Twice.)
2. Bill Gates (You’re on his PC)
3. Angelina Jolie (Acts, adopts, mastectomy. Philanthropist and beacon for breast cancer awareness. Who knew after seeing Gigi.)
4. LeBron James (2 championship rings – count em)
5. Oprah Winfrey (Almost bought a shop in Zurich out of spite for not letting her see a 40k handbag.)
6. Arya Stark (Last time we saw Arya she was getting stab happy with some Frey men. Are you going to tell her she can’t be on the list? Valar Morghulis, indeed.)
7. Barack Obama (Something to do with the White House)
8. Trey Parker (When he isn’t creating South Park he is doing whatever the hell he wants, whether that be Broadway musicals, puppet movies, or teaching English to the Japanese
9. Ned Flanders (Hens love roosters, geese love ganders, everyone else loves Ned Flanders)
10.  Ben ‘Haggard’ Indrisie & Mitch Page (You’re on their website, reading their article)

So let’s recap – we have a the Leader of the Free World, a reigning NBA MVP Champ AND Barrack Obama, (Oprah zing!) which tells me two things – if you’re lucky enough to be African American AND a Mollydooka, expect big things, secondly it shows that every day can be Left-Handers Day. Awwwww

So, if you see a left-hander, don’t snicker as they fumble awkwardly with the can opener, don’t look at them and cringe when they are using a knife, don’t call them the devil, because at the end of the day, they’re just a backwards you.

Or some type of wizard.

Mitch Page. Lefty and proud.

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