Author Archives for Jay Babcock

Joshua Tree community carpool caravan driving 90mi Thurs to County HQ to fight Dollar General invasion of our village

There is still a way to stop the 10,000-store-strong corporate Dollar General chain from building one of their generic, predatory retail stores in Joshua Tree, not far from the gateway to the National Park.

Over the last 14 months, many members of the Joshua Tree village community have submitted written testimony to the San Bernardino Planning Commission against Dynamic Development’s application to locate a 9,100-square foot Dollar General store here in Joshua Tree.

On this coming Thursday, January 17, 2013, many of our village’s wisest and most experienced stakeholders will be making presentations to the Commission in person.

It takes courage, expertise and wisdom to effectively speak truth to power.

We can demonstrate solidarity with this cause, and with those who are fighting for the soul of Joshua Tree, by simply being present at this important hearing.

Please consider joining our community carpool caravan to County offices in the city of San Bernardino this Thursday. The Commission meets at 385 N. Arrowhead Ave., 1st Floor, San Bernardino, CA 92415 in the Covington Chambers.

We will be meeting at 6:15am and departing 6:30am sharp from Myrtle the Turtle at Turtle Island in downtown Joshua Tree.

It is a 90-mile drive. Drivers who have been to these offices before will be leading the caravan. As of right now, we have carpool drivers offering at least 25 seats to fellow community members.

The Planning Commission meeting begins at 9am. The meeting agenda can be changed at any time.

As of right now, the Dollar General (or, as it’s being called by County staff, “Joshua Tree Retail Store”) proposal hearing is second on the agenda.

The first item on the agenda is expected by County staff to take 10 minutes. The Dollar General item is expected to take two hours.

If you cannot join our caravan, please still consider attending the Commission meeting. We will be providing driving and parking directions to the County building soon on this website.

If you need more information now about the meeting and how to get there, please read the following, from the County’s Land Use Services website:

All regularly scheduled Planning Commission meetings start at 9 a.m. and are located at 385 N. Arrowhead Ave., 1st Floor, San Bernardino, CA 92415 in the Covington Chambers. Please contact a Duty Planner or the Project Planner on the Agenda if you have any questions at (909) 387-8311 or (760) 995-8140.

For more information on the People of Joshua Tree v Dollar General, consult: http://defendjt.wordpress.com/

HAWKWIND REVISITS THAT WARRIOR ON THE EDGE OF TIME

11.01.13 – Breaking news! – Hawkwind to play classic album Warrior on the Edge of Time..

The spring Hawkwind tour, which launches at their HawkEaster event in Devon on 30th and 31st of March will include a full performance of the Warrior on the Edge of Time album, and will be complemented by a long awaited and very special album release … In what will be a first for Hawkwind, the current line-up will play the entire Warrior album in its original sequence as part of their set.

More: http://www.hawkwindmuseum.co.uk/warriorannouncement.htm

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WE ARE NOW READY FOR THE WEEKEND, or: NEW ENDLESS BOOGIE IS HERE

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ENDLESS BOOGIE’S LABEL NO QUARTER RECORDS EXPLAINS SOME STUFF:

CD/2xLP OUT FEBRUARY 19th
WFMU session: January 15th, 3-6pm (east coast time)
Record Release show 2/15 @ Cameo Gallery
Brooklyn, NY w/ Arbouretum & Hans Chew

New York’s Endless Boogie are pleased to announce that their third studio album Long Island will be in stores February 19th. The foursome – comprised of Paul “Top Dollar” Major, Jesper Eklow, Harry Druzd and Marc Razo – have made a monstrous, epic of an LP spanning 8 tracks and running 79 minutes and 48 seconds. More often than not, Matt Sweeney joins them on these songs, a recent staple of the live band (at least at New York–area shows) and an able partner for Major to work off. Sweeney and Eklow are credited with producing.

Paul Major says of Long Island: “There’s a lotta strange characters on this album, I don’t know who most of them are. They span time. They seem to know me. They insist there are no messages in the music beyond blasting off and staying there… We brought the beast back alive this time, be careful when you tear off the shrink wrap… “

A note about the album art: despite its bizarre and eerie resemblance to Paul Major, the painting, entitled “Skogtroll,” is actually from 1902 and was done by a Nordic artist named Theodor Kittelsen. It exists in the public domain.

Hear Endless Boogie perform for THREE STRAIGHT HOURS this Tuesday January 15th on Brian Turner’s WFMU program. You can stream it online: WFMU.org

PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM NOW AND GET EXTRA STUFF: NO QUARTER STORE