MsB will be back soon...
Don't worry dear readers I haven't forgotten about you! I have just got back from a wonderful week away in Golden Bay and will tell you all about it soon. Until then enjoy perving at the Mistress and tune in to my show tomorrow. 5 - 8 p.m. (NZ) on Twisted Radio.

Campbell Live - What a funny whaka
Campbell Live, the newest 7 o'clock current affairs show launched this Monday on TV3. The first night's ratings were almost the same as TV2's flagship soap Shortland Street. On TV1 you have Close Up at 7 which is popular with the wrinklies, on Prime you have Paul Holmes with his hectoring talkback infotainment for the over 50s.

Last night's Cambell Live show bravely covered the facts about Peak Oil and the implications of the world's oil reserves running out, mentioned Kiwi website Oilcrash.com and a story about a guy who has gone bush in the Coromandel after watching The End of Suburbia. It's a good documentary to watch if you are lusting after that SUV or 3 bed pad in the suburbs. It will save you a fortune.

It's a relief to finally have a show that will cover current affairs and issues that I care about. It's not surprising that the yoof of today aren't that socially aware, when the stories covered have no relevance to them. The generational gap is wider than any gone before, and the old adage 'it was a different world in my day' is true more so than ever before.

Prince Charles to appear in Bro' Town


I wonder if this is a world first? A British royal appearing in a cartoon? Prince Charles, the one with the cartoon ears and a penchant for plants, recently recorded a royal voiceover for the new series about the Kiwi Cuzzies of Bro' Town. Charles was said to be reluctant at first but was persuaded by premier Helen Clarke. All together now: "Morniingsiiide for Laife!"

Wealth is what you're left with when you lose all your money...



The following was written by Mikhail Khodorkovsky, founder of Yukos and until recently the richest man in Russia. He is currently an inmate of the Matrosskaya Tishina prison in Moscow since his arrest on October 25th 2003 – 17 months ago.

“Yes, over the past year, the $15 billion fortune of which Forbes wrote has almost reached zero, and it will soon become absolute zero. But parting with my wealth will not be unbearably painful for me. I have realized that wealth, and especially vast wealth, does not in itself make a person free. I had to make enormous efforts to protect this wealth. I had to limit myself in everything that might harm this possession. I controlled my possessions; they controlled me.”

“So I would like to warn young people today, those who will soon come to power: Do not envy those who have great wealth. All that is important is you, yourself – your feelings, ideas, talents, will, intellect and faith. This is, indeed, the only possible and correct choice – the choice of freedom.”

“To breathe the spring air, to play with children, to read good books – all this is so much more important, more right and more pleasant than multiplying wealth and settling scores. Now, freed from the burden of the past, I am determined to work for the benefit of those generation that will soon take charge of our country. Generations that will come with new values and new hopes.”

“Wealth isn’t how much money you have.

It’s what you’re left with when you lose all your money.”

From the Roger Hamilton newsletter.

Become an activist shareholder!

I just had to pass this on from this weeek's Schnewsletter:

Anti-capitalists bringing down transnational corporations by playing the stock market? It's true! Activists are using the stock market to help boycotts of your favourite brands - Coke, Starvebucks, McDonalds and Exxon. The idea is that you club together as part of a 'hedge fund' and sell stock in targeted firms 'short'. A hedge fund is basically the very rich clubbing together and 'hedging' their bets by playing a range of different stock market games. One of those games is 'selling short'.

For example, say Coke stock is worth £10 this month, £12 next and £15 in 3 months time. You then sell the stock 'short' for £11 in month two. If you buy enough stock (which is why smaller franchises are targeted) people panic and sell their stock too and the price goes down. Your £10 stock is then worth £9 in three months time, not the planned £15. Coke lose out, big time.

Investment activist Max Keiser says "For every 1,000 new boycotters, I and my group of investors/activists will increase the size of the fund by £5,000. All profits will go the groups/people who are the victims of bad companies."

See www.karmabanque.com for more info...

..and finally...

In an effort to drown out the sounds of screaming civilians in burning buildings, major record labels are doing their bit.

Virgin, EMI and the rest supply all the new CD releases to "our boys at the front" at special discount. Troops can now listen to cheap pop as they go about keeping Iraq "secure", though not, presumably, at the same time. This may explain some recent US losses however. Whoever said war couldn't be fun?

In classic rock-rebel style, however, one group are having none of it. The Super Furry Animals have included an anti-militarist clause in their recent negations with the majors. The clause forbids any of their music to be offered at discount to the Armed Farces. Fans of the Welsh quartet will be pleased to know that the sweet blend of pop and rock they love will not be drifting over the battlefields of a corrupt war. Coalition Forces hinted it will not affect their decision to stay in Iraq."

Go the Super Furry Animals!

Top 20 Indie Releases - March 2005

1. Katchafire, Slow-Burning
2. Shapeshifter, Riddim Wise
3. TrinityRoots, Home Land & Sea
4. Kora, EP Volume
5. SJD, Southern Lights
6. Pitch Black, From Ape To Angel
7. Various, LOOP Select 006: Kono
8. Fly My Pretties, Live At Bats
9. TrinityRoots, True
10. P-Money, Magic City
11. Bleeders, Bleeding Heart EP
12. Adeaze, Always And For Real
13. 8 Foot Sativa, Breed The Pain
14. Ardijah, Journey (Aere'anga)
15. Various, LOOP Select 005
16. Katchafire, Revival
17. The Black Seeds, Keep On Pushing
18. Te Vaka, Tutuki
19. Hinemoa Baker, Puawai
20. The Fanatics, The Fanatics

From Indies.co.nz

CD Baby - Helping Musos Make Money Since 1998

I've just received an email from CD Baby to say, that a cheque for CD & Digital Distribution sales is on its way. What great news to start the day! TMet released a CD called I Like the Blue Ones in 2002 our first label sampler before we launched our download label. The email has a great message at the end:

I hope I write you a million more checks.
I hope you write a million more songs.
I hope you get a million more fans
who gives you a million kisses
all because of CD Baby.

The CD Baby story is great. As my indie business hero Derek Sivers, and CD Baby's founder says: "I was just selling my own CD in 1997, making my living by touring and doing sessions, and asked some fellow musicians if they'd like me to sell their CD, too. It was supposed to be a hobby. (Making music was my real career!) For the first year, CD Baby was just me. I'd put the day's orders in my backpack and ride my bike down to the post office. But then friends told friends, and now my little hobby has sold over $15 MILLION in independent CDs to people around the world."

Current Numbers:

* 87,331 artists sell their CD at CD Baby.
* 1,407,540 CDs sold online to customers.
* $13,348,148.16 paid to artists.

CD Baby is now the largest seller of independent CDs on the web, and and I love their Decleration of Independence:

[In•de•pen•dent: (adj.) Not having sold one's life, career, and creative works over to a corporation.]

T-Rock - No Bling

We met DJ T-Rock on Sunday, when we filmed an interview with him for the New Zealand Dance Chart (NZDC). He was over from the States for this year's college & university Orientation tour which had taken him to Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dundedin. I've not met many Hip Hop guys being more into the dance scene but he was throughly lovely, and didn't have a scrap of bling about him.

T-Rock's album Hip Hop Sundae is available from CD Baby, and is a mixture of Hip Hop, Rock, Turntablism, Funk, Soul, Breakbeat, Mixing, Scratchin', Party Rockin, 45s, 12 inches, old stuff and new. I've had a listen to a few of the tracks and it's well funky, plus it's worth checking out Who's Your Daddy and Sikinthehead his one of a kind DVD. It has gained rave reviews and features multiple music video's, comedy skits, and even a short film starring T-Rock himself.

You can see why he won the "Best Goddamn DJ award" from Hiphopslam.com in 2003, as well as being voted among the 5 best hip hop DJ’s in the world in a recent internet poll at www.thedjlist.com T-Rock also has a new release out on Why Records called 'Rock & Squash Techniques' with Atlanta producer and M.C. Squashy Nice. You can buy it online from Marbecks.com.

MsB's Speak Kiwi Glossary
I found a Kiwi glossary at the Jam Jar blog today. Here's a few Kiwi terms I'd like to add:

Spading: going out on the pull.
Meh: so so or not that great.
Awesome: really good.
Bro: friendly term also applied to women.
Sweet As: can mean yes, no problem, don't worry etc.
The Wop Wops: the middle of no-where.
JAFA: Just Another Fu**ing Aucklander.
Westie: West Aucklander. A derogatory term unless you are lucky enough to live in Waitakere eco city.
Bogan: Usually long haired, male, and into heavy metal. [see also Bogans the movie]
Eh?: Automatic kiwi addendum to any sentence be it a statement or a question. No answer is required.
Fush and Chups: What they call fish and chips in the wop wops.
Manchester: What is sold in a linen shop.
Stoked: Really pleased.
Choice: Really good or excellent.
Sweet: Good.
Sick: Very good.
Stink: Bad or upset.
Whanau: Extended family.

Mistress Dirtbag's Kiwi-isms
Au: Another version to bro and cuz.
Tu Meke: Too much, awesome, great.

Iceland no longer to be a niceland?
I read some very upsetting news this morning from Schnews. The Iceland government in some crazy orgy of insanity, are laying their ecologically pristine interior to waste for short term capitalist gain. I feel particularly strongly as Chelfyn and I spent our honeymoon in Iceland and fell in love with its pristine beauty.

As Schnews reports:"They’ve already blown part of Dimmugljufur - Iceland’s Grand Canyon - to smithereens, and if they fill up the reservoir (scheduled 2007), 65.5 square kilometres of pristine wilderness will be completely submerged. This land includes birthing grounds for the majority of Iceland’s reindeer and Ramsar ‘protected’ nesting sites for endangered species such as pink-footed geese, and Gyrfalcon. Sixty waterfalls will be lost as will a range of sediment ledges - judged completely unique in the world by scientists studying global warming - which record 10,000 years of geological and climate change. And this vast projected reservoir would extend right onto the glacier itself, which is breaking up because of global warming. Wouldn’t giant icebergs trucking up to the dam be a bit - er - dangerous? Yep. And it gets worse - the dam is being built over a seismic fault!

In 2003, Landsvirkjun’s chief, Fridrik Sophusson, was asked what would happen if there was an earthquake under the dam. “It would burst,” he smiled calmly. “A catastrophic wall of water would annihilate everyone in Egilsstadir [the nearest town] and all the neighbouring farms would be swept away.” Icelandic Tsunami anyone? “It won’t happen,” he added smugly. Yet in August 2004 there were continuous earthquakes at Karahnjukar for several days."

It breaks my heart to think that one of the world's last remaining wildernesses is being carved up by Caterpillar trucks. If you want to get involved in the worldwide protest then surf over to KillingIceland.org

Closer to home we have our own insanity with New Zealand's Mighty River Power proposing to convert 'Marsden B' (an unused oil-fired power station) into a coal fired power station. That's right COAL - the most polluting fossil fuel there is. In the same year that New Zealand ratifies Kyoto how can this be? Bigups to the Kiwi Greenpeace crew who occupied the roof at Marsden B for 9 days and blogged their vigil.

Some good news from Greenpeace is that Genesis power has put two other proposed coal power stations in New Zealand on hold. We are standing at an environmental crossroads. Let's pray we choose the right way...

The Forgotten - uplifting psy from Kiwi wunderkind Focus

The Forgotten is a fantastic slice of psy-influenced uplifting trance from TMet's latest Kiwi wunderkind, Christchurch based Focus. Immaculate production, glistening, shimmering highs over a deep chugging bassline make this one of our best releases to date. Only NZ$3 a download to support homegrown Kiwi dance music!

Eco-worrier or Eco-warrior? 20 Ways to Save the Planet

We met some very interesting people today at the Waitakere City Eco-Show. It was heartening to see all the alternatives we have that that won't destroy the planet. Now that we have broken the weather and people are finally facing up to climate change, the questions is what can YOU do? The NZ Herald ran a great article by Shelley Trueman in Canvas this weekend on 20 Ways to Save the Planet.

1. At number one we have the Eco-funeral. If you won't be cremated, then try a cardboard casket which will break down faster than a traditional box. Though with all those preservatives in food your corpse may long outlast your casket. For a full eco send off call the Natural Funeral Company (09 361 6080), or Waikumete cemetary in Waitekere City (09 818 5615) who'll plant a tree over you.

2. Walk lardarse! Not only are cars choking the planet they are making us fat. If you have children then get them to join a walking bus where they can get exercise, responsibility and independence. Try using a different way of getting into work. Carpool, cycle, walk, bus, or train it. You never know - you might like it.

3. Power down. You'll not only save dollars & cents, you'll be saving lives in the long run. Think like a student - switch things off, block draughts and keep an eye on energy consumption.

4. It's time to readjust our attitudes to shopping. It's all too easy to buy crap you don't need unless you stick to a list. Before you bin it, can you repair it? There are great places you can get free toys and books called libraries. I've just joined my local Waitakere libary network and can get books out/return books at New Lynn, Glen Eden, Henderson, Massey, Ranui, Te Atatu Peninsula, Te Atatu South or Titirangi.

5. This is one of my favouries bug bears - over packaging. I knew the world had gone made when I found a UK garage selling shrink wrapped bananas. I wish I'd been able to dob them in as an overpackager like you can in New Zealand (just send an email to packagingcomplaints@arc.govt.nz). Buy re-usable cotton bags for your supermarket shop, and your cupboards won't end up stuffed with plastic carrier bags. We keep ours in the boot of the cars so we don't forget to take them with us. Buy refills rather new dispensers and avoid non-recycleable containers. A little thought can save a lot of waste.

6. Nappy services will collect your little darlings smalls and return them clean, folded and ironed. Without a single shit filled plastic bag ending up in a landfill. Just call 0800 REAL NAPPIES and tell them what saints they are. Bumbles.co.nz make a great range of cloth Zappy Nappies & Overpants in some very cool colours & designs. Haute couture for the eco-generation.

7. Recyle, recyle recycle. Everything You Can. Even better Freecycle - so others know when to collect your cast-offs.

8. Re-use & recyle paper in the office and stick to electronic copies wherever possible. Printer ink refills are cheaper than re-buying bespoke brands, and unlikely to damage your printer whatever the manufacturers say. Always remember to switch everything off when you leave for the day, and try and persuade your empoyer to let you telework a couple of days each week. There's a great quote by Alvin Toffler "the single most anti-productive thing we do is to ship millions of workers back and forth across the landscape every morning." to which I might add "just to sit in front of a computer with an internet connection". For more benefits read my 2002 article about telworking.

Also think about how your company could help other business people. Jack Yan, the man behind Lucire Wellington's international fashion magazine, has founded a forum to unite first world business advisers with third world entrepreneurs. To get involved check out www.jackyan.com

9. There are some great eco cleaning products avialable such as the Ecover and Next Generation brands, that won't harm the environment when they go down the drain. You can also use some economical and effective old skool remedies like vinegar & newspaper. It really does get windows sparkling clean. Unaturally sterile houses may be a root cause of the rise in Western allergies, so bear that in mind when that awful 'spray & wipe' ad comes on the telly. Though the 'Dirt is Good' advert must have been dreamed up by a man, some unusual dirt and worm therapies are successfully being used to treat allergies and Crohn's Disease.

10. Every drop of water is precious. Mow your lawns less often and they won't need watering (result!). Watch out for dripping taps and put a weight in your toilet cistern. Grey water from the dishes and washing mashines are great for the garden, and why not collect rain water?

11. If you wash your own car then do it on the lawn, so that the dirt and toxins soak into the grass. They won't hurt your lawn but they can hurt the fishies. Anything that goes down the drain goes into the sea.

12. Watch your wood. With trees disappearing at the rate of knots (sorry!) always opt for sustainable timber, preferably locally grown. Bamboo is fast becoming a sound flooring choice for the eco-trendy.

13. Take care with toxins. In some cases second hand is definitely not second best. Carpets give off dangerously high levels of toxins when new, so avoid using new carpet in nurseries & family rooms. Also watch how you dispose of your toxic waste. If you pour paint down the drain, you will be poisoning the sea.

14. Not mulch in the garden? What a waste! Compost is great for growth and saves space in landfills.

15. Keep your vicious killers under control. Rover won't be able to kill kiwi if he's on a lead, and Puss won't be able to sneak up on birds if you collar and bell him (two bells are better than one). Or like us you can get a Ragdoll the Zen Buddhists of the cat world. They just don't have the killer instinct.

16. Healthy living is also eco-living as it takes a lot of resources to produce 1 KG of beef. Remember the proposed fart tax? Livestock produce enormous amounts of methane and crap in our waterways. Battery farming is aptly named as uses up far more resources than free range methods.

17. Make sure your fish dinner won't be your last. Snapper and orange roughy stocks are in sharp decline. Check out this guide of fish species to avoid.

18. The average woman consumes 6 pounds of lipstick in her lifetime. That's a lot of chemicals to chomp through. For natural kiwi beauty products check out Living Nature based in Kerikeri.

19. Exercise your pocket power. Support ethical trade and avoid brands that are wrecking our planet. You can make a difference every time you shop. The Medinge Group, an international think tank that encourages ‘compassionate branding’ has honoured Sri Lanka’s Dilmah Tea in its annual ‘Top Brands with a Conscience 2005’ list.

20. Train your children early. It's never too early to learn to be a Tidy Eco-Kiwi.

March of the Cult of Density

Our recent release The Oneness of Brian Tamaki and Beelzebub by Anon has been getting a lot of traffic in the past few days. You can download a full preview of this track (for free) from TMet Recordings or listen out for it on Twisted Radio.

Listen to an interview with Anon the artist behind The Oneness of Brian Tamaki and Beelzebub (3.5 MB).

The reason for this interest is that the Cult of Density are marching in Auckland tomorrow. We wait with bated breath for the important issue - what will they all wear? Pimp Tamaki's outfits are almost on a par with Cher. If you fancy getting out on the streets to counter this outpouring of hate then they are also some counter demonstrations taking place:

"Defend Diversity challenges the true message behind the Defend the Legacy march. Behind the veil of family values, lies Destiny Church's well known anti-gay, anti-abortion, anti-solo parent message. Defend Diversity is also concerned about the cultish nature of the organisation, its tactic of preying on people and use of extortion whilst their leader, Brian Tamaki, becomes rich. Defend Diversity asks what kind of legacy they are defending.

The counter-demonstration will be in addition to the Don't Hate, Celebrate event held at the Auckland University. Defend Diversity recognise that previous marches involving Destiny Church have not been safe places for people with differing viewpoints. Defend Diversity supports the Don't Hate, Celebrate message and the safe option it provides for families & children. However, it also sees the necessity for
a physical presence at the march itself.

While Defend Diversity believes in the right to make our viewpoint heard and not be intimidated by the hate that groups like Destiny preach, we do not seek confrontation with participants of the legacy march. Defend Diversity is a part of a growing grassroots movement against all forms of discrimination and oppression.

People who support our stance are invited to join Defend Diversity with
their own creative message at 10am outside of the Burger King at 115 Queen St, opposite Fort St."

Hopefully see you there!

Bizgirl Noizyboy
I'm starting to interview guys that are famous for being girls on a regular basis. There is of course the lovely La Quisha who guests on my Twisted Friday Drive show, and I'm about to chat to Bizgirl dooced diva and Wellington based international librarian of mystery. AKA Noizyboy of Noizyland AKA James Guthrie, who was outed as being at boy at the 2004 Netguide Awards. His alter-ego Bizgirl has been nominated for best Australasian blog in the upcoming 2005 Bloggies and is the only New Zealand nomination.

Charge New Zealand Dance Chart :: Feb 2005
Greg Churchill - Nola's Scream (Underwater)
David Guetta - The World is Mine (Virgin)
Soul Central - Strings of Life (Defected)
Fischerspooner - Just Let Go (Capitol Records)
Mylo - Destroy Rock and Roll (Breastfed)
Roni Size - No More (Full Cycle)
Baitercell & Schumacher - Lock & Load (Passenger)
Chemical Brothers - Galvanize (Virgin)
Freestylers - Boom Blast (Against the Grain)
Dylan Rhymes - Salty (Kingsize)

From the New Zealand Dance Chart.

Music on plastic discs? How 20th Century!
Chelfyn, the Mistress and I are off to an Eco-show this week, to film some blogvids and meet some eco-visionaries. TMet HQ is fortunate to be based in Waitakere City, NZ one of the world's first eco-cities. We based our label here as we see TMet Recordings as an eco-company. I've always found the idea of shipping/flying heavy pices of plastic around the world rather eco-unfriendly. That's why we chose digital distribution to release Kiwi music.

There's been a lot of debate on the Kiwi dance boards recently about the death of vinyl in the dance scene. Most of their arguments boil down to the fact that they like fondling their rare tracks and as one (probably bedroom) DJ howled "but muppets will have the same track as me!" Get over it boys. You'll just have to become better DJs. Look past your collection obsession and think of our planet instead.