SXSW Music Panel Proposal: House Concerts

This year’s SXSW Music festival has joined the 21st century — they now have an interactive panel picker. That means you can vote for my panel Why Your Tour Needs House Concerts.

Here’s the official description:

Find out why house concerts make sense for your next tour. Learn how to successfully approach established house concert series, book and promote shows. Discover the key differences between a house concert and a club gig. We’ll show you what it takes to make each house concert a memorable experience.

Vote for my PanelPicker Idea!

Ruth Bader Ginsburg <3s Canada

Ruth Bader Ginsburg chats with the Times about the Supreme Court.

Ginsburg likes Canada.

Q: At your confirmation hearings in 1993, you talked about how you hoped to see three or four women on the court. How do you feel about how long it has taken to see simply one more woman nominated?

JUSTICE GINSBURG: My prediction was right for the Supreme Court of Canada. They have Beverley McLachlin as the chief justice, and they have at least three other women. The attrition rate is slow on this court.

John Duesler of Philadelphia is a racist asshole

NBC Philadelphia reports on this shocker — a pool in Philly kicked a bunch of kids out … because they are black.

“There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion … and the atmosphere of the club,” John Duesler, President of The Valley Swim Club said in a statement.

1940 called. They want their ignorant moron back.

Don’t mess with old people

A couple years ago I came across stories of a 72-year-old ex-boxer and an 84-year-old beating the crap out would-be robbers.

The trend continues.

In February, 70-year-old Ellen Basinski beat up some robbers with a saucepan:

The feisty Basinski was on the phone with her husband, a local judge, when the would-be robbers entered the house.

“I was angry,” she says.

As one of them started rummaging through her purse, she grabbed her favorite trademark Lagasse saucepan and, as the famous chef himself likes to say, BAM!

“He told the police it almost knocked him out,” Basinski says. “I gave it a good whack. I figured, ‘You might get only one swing, lady!’ So make it good!”

Last week, 69-year-old Dwayne Austgen shot a crack addict with a 22.

Religious nutters ask for advice, don’t get what they expected

Margo Howard, Ann Landers’ daughter, is also an advice columnist. Recently, she received a question from some religious fanatics:

Our daughter started college a year ago, and we’ve noticed during her visits home that she’s not the sweet, innocent girl we sent away for higher learning. We raised her with strong Christian beliefs, but lately she’s saying that she’s joined an atheist club on campus and is questioning everything we taught her. Now my husband refuses to let her in the house and is threatening to turn her in to the FBI.

Margo’s answer was spot-on.

Check out the question about the in-laws, too.