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When South African hip-hop duo Die Antwoord played "Fok Juule Naaiers," the first single off latest album Ten$ion -- the track that opened the group's Noise Pop gig last night at the Regency Ballroom -- for its LA manager, they were told it had some problems. The problem's name was homophobia, their manager ventured. US audiences, he said, don't take kindly to the F-word (I wish that were consistently true).

In response, Die Antwoord released this video. It is entitled "F-word," the version of that term that lacks my lavish commitment to political correctness

Ninja, a.k.a. Watkin Tudor Jones, says the usage is all good because he has good homo friends, and that one of them is Hi-Tek, the group's DJ, who opened up last night's show with his charming "Fok Juule Naaiers" verse. Assorted lyrics below:

DJ Hi-Tek will fuck you in the ass, punk ass white boy

Look at you scared/Scared of a real man

Fuck it 'til you love me, [F-word]

So, was this song Hi-Tek's coming out party? What a bummer party.

Of course, the crowd (sold out to the gills -- I had press credentials and still had to beg, borrow, and perform mild thievery to get in) ate it all up. Die Antwood's stage show is less weird than its videos, because matching them would entail wearing coats made of live rats, which would be hard to get through customs.

Emcee Yolandi Vi$$er without her album cover blood-soaked visage is massively sexy on stage (the whole group looks like they hit the gym hard together). By the end of the show, she had stripped down to running shoes, spandex shorts, and a midriff-bearing pink tee with "zef" printed inside a heart. She always looks like her clothes are about to fall off. Next to Ninja in his orange running shoes and signature Dark Side of the Moon underwear (infamous jiggling penis beneath), they looked like they were hosting a really agressive workout video. Ninja crowdsurfed, constantly. Let no one say that Die Antwoord doesn't work it out on stage.

Yolandi Vi$$er at the Regency last night.

And, Ninja. Guardian photos by Caitlin Donohue

And it is a good show. Yolandi hype-chirps after Ninja's every line. She spins around five times and picks up her verse right on cue, and the two reverse roles with Ninja cooing after her lines end. New single "I Think You're Freaky" was a huge hit, particularly, one imagines, with the guy in a rubber pig mask sweating balls in the front row, a couple in the middle of the crowd wearing the hooded plushie onesies that Die Antwoord rocked -- weirdly, always weirdly -- in its "Umshini Wam" video. The front lighting blacks out after songs, silhouetting Ninja and Yolandi's distinctive haircuts. They are unapologetic in their stage presence, crowd love.

Earlier that day, afraid of not getting on the list for the show, I lurked outside Upper Playground's Fifty24SF gallery, where Ninja had spent the day painting the walls with the black chicken scratches and Evil Boy engorged penis characters that now adorn Die Antwoord merch, stage sets, and his own body. At 4 p.m., there was a line of Die Antwoord fans lined up to greet Yolandi and Ninja. You could cut the line if you bought a $200 Evil Boy latex toy.

Few people did. First-in-liner Stephanie Farrell, who came straight from school for the signing didn't. But she got what she wanted out of her wait: a really awkward experience with her idols. 

"What was your interaction with them like?" I asked her while looking at the Die Antwoord's signatures, written in her wire-bound, lined notebook. 

"They didn't say anything, it was really awkward. I was like 'hey,' and they were like 'hey.'"

"But are you still a fan?"

"Absolutely. I didn't expect it to be a normal experience whatsoever."

In the "[F-word]" video, Ninja says that people from the United States who are upset by the way they use that and other (N-word) offensive bullshit should quit being a little less PC and learn from "your brothers and sisters here in the dark depths of Africa," where a local saying is translated into "we are one." He then grabs his Evil Boy dolls, a black one and a white one, and knocks their monster toy dicks together while repeating the "we are one" phrase in a high-pitched voice. "That's why they say South Africa is a rainbow nation."

Weird. 

Photos of Die Antwoord's Ninja painting the inside of the Fifty24SF gallery are by John Orvis

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Die Antwoord's athletic use of the F-word

WATERLOO --- It turns out Rick Kimbley's next-to-last day as acting postmaster in Waterloo was a productive one.

After Friday, Kimbley will return to the Des Moines after three months in Waterloo, and he leaves behind a processing center that will remain open and active.

On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley announced that mail processing facilities in Waterloo and Cedar Rapids are no longer being considered for closure by the U.S. Postal Service.

The move preserves 150 positions at the Waterloo post office. Had a closure been ordered, those workers probably would have had to be placed elsewhere, perhaps out of town.

"It's a great day for the workers," said Kimbley, who Monday will give way as acting postmaster to Ron Ralph from the Cedar Rapids Post Office.

Kimbley was asked how long the local postal processing operation would remain open.

"The only information we have is it’s not being considered for consolidation at this time," he said.

The Waterloo center processes 300,000 to 500,000 pieces of mail daily, "depending on the day,” said Kimberly Karol, a 19 1/2-year employee who in January became local president of the American Postal Workers Union.

"We’re very pleased that it’s going to continue to process mail here," she said. "That’s really good news for the community and people that work here,” Karol said. "It’s also good for the communities we service, because we do processing for a large part of northeastern Iowa."

Karol, who became the top union representative in January after 15 years as vice president, also noted her colleagues have not gotten any indication how long the center will stay open.

"The postal service continues to have financial challenges, and they’re going to look at ways to meet those challenges," she said. "We still have some things to get resolved."

Braley made the announcement today “after multiple conversations with the United States Postal Service” according to a press release from his office.

"Braley has been fighting to save these facilities for months," the release continued.

"Rain, snow and sleet don’t stop our postal workers, and I’m proud to say that Washington bureaucrats won’t, either," Braley said. "I’m glad to see that the U.S. Postal Service has finally gotten the message that now is the wrong time to lay off hundreds of workers. We still have a lot of work to do to save more post offices around the state, but this is good news today for Iowa workers."

The USPS confirmed with Braley's office earlier this morning that the mail processing facilities in Waterloo and Cedar Rapids will remain open. Braley is a member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which has legislative authority over the USPS.

In September 2011, Rep. Braley sent a letter to Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe urging him not to close these facilities.

Evansdale

Evansdale residents also received good news recently, as far as postal service goes. A ruling by the Postal Regulatory Commission resuscitated hope the city’s post office could re-open.

The U.S. Postal Service and a related agency recently delivered some good new to the metro area.

The commission on Jan. 18 remanded the U.S. Postal Service’s decision to close the Evansdale Post Office for further consideration. A postal service spokesman says the agency is reviewing the decision.

Mayor Chad Deutsch, who appealed the closing along with resident Craig Chilton, is optimistic the office in the Evans Crossing strip mall will open again soon.

"I’m just ecstatic about the decision," Deutsch said. "It evidently confirms our arguments that it’s a busy post office and it wasn’t going to save money by closing it. I have faith the postal service will look at the facts and open it back up."

Whether that will happen is undetermined. The commission’s ruling only requires the postal service re-evaluate its decision to shutter the facility last October.

"(The Postal Service) is taking it under advisement. ... I’m waiting to see where we go from here," said Richard Watkins, USPS spokesman for much of Iowa.

Kimbley, said agency officials haven’t talked to him about the future of the Evansdale Post Office, which is a branch of the Waterloo Post Office.

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UPDATE: Postal workers relieved by word that mail processing operations staying open

OK, we admit it – we miss the ‘90s! And with their dancefloor-filling crowdpleaser hits like Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom, We’re Going To Ibiza and We Like to Party, it’s high-time Amsterdam’s The Vengaboys hopped on their Vengabus and paid us another visit down under to share their mad uplifting tracks again.

Vengaboy Kim Sasabone chatted to JoyFM’s Kyle and Kane ahead of the four-piece poppers’ Aussie tour next month…

KIM: Hi Kyle and Kane! How cute are those names? Kyle and Kane…

KANE: I know, they’re so similar. In Australia, we all start with a ‘K’ (laughs).

I know, Kath and Kim!

KYLE: You’ll fit in!

KANE: You will! We’ll welcome you with open arms here.

I know and we’re so super excited to come down to Australia. We’re really looking forward to it.

KANE: Kim, have you been to Australia before?

Yes, we’ve been to Australia before but that was such a long time ago, about ten or twelve years ago.

KYLE: Well, it’s fantastic here. The sun doesn’t stop shining, it never rains – everything’s perfect. (laughs)

I know! And, you know, in January here in the Netherlands, the weather is so cold so we’re so happy to come and be in Australia in the warmth and the sun and the beaches and everything.

KANE: Well, Kim, it seems Australia loves the Vengaboys – you’ve got three shows in Melbourne alone. The first two have already sold out and you’ve put on a third show. What do you think it is about the Vengaboys that Australia loves?

I couldn’t believe it when I heard that we had almost all of the Australian shows sold out. Three times in Melbourne – isn’t that great? I think Australians are really into partying and positive, uplifting music. We sold platinum and double platinum back in the day in Australia and the reception was always really, really good. We have so much fun with sold out shows.

We used to do all these meet and greets and in-store signing sessions, which were always so crowded with so many lovely people – we met so many great people over there.

KYLE: Well, I remember being at school and the Vengaboys craze was going off – everyone would talk about the Vengaboys so it’s always really exciting to hear a band like that is coming back to Australia. Also, The Best of the Vengaboys album is being released here in time for Christmas.

That’s so hilarious. I just found out that not so long ago that the album was going to be released. It’s a special Australian tour edition – how cool is that? I posted it on my Facebook and immediately there were so many reactions of people like, “I need to have that album!” and “Please bring a few from Australia!” People here in Europe are really happy for us and they’re so excited.

KANE: Now, one of the questions on the tip of everyone’s tongue here – well, it’s on mine and Kyle’s tongue – is, does the ‘Vengabus’ actually exist?

It does.

KYLE: You’d get asked that all the time but surely it’s just going to be hidden away in a little factory somewhere or do you party on it?

Yeah, it doesn’t really… he’s not alive anymore…

KANE: Oh no.

He still exists but we couldn’t get it out of the garage because it’s stored somewhere but that’s where it actually all started with…

KYLE: ‘We Like to Party’.

KANE: Yeah, it did – on the ‘Vengabus’.

Yep.

KYLE: Where would the Vengabus travel? If it could travel anywhere?

Oh wow, that’s a really hard question because we were so fortunate to see so many great places in the world and there are so many great places we wanted to go back and we’re so happy to come back to Australia. Yeah, so I think Australia, at this time, would be number one. The Vengabus would come to Australia.

KYLE: Great! It’s a flying Vengabus.

See original here:
Music: Make some noise for the Vengaboys!

Posted by SCENE Staff | Wednesday February 22, 2012

CBC's This Is That brings live show to this year's Winnipeg Comedy Festival

As if you didn't know, it's the year 2012.  What does that mean? Well, if you follow the Mayan calendar, it might very well be the end of the world as we know it, but perhaps not.

2012 also marks the 11th year of the Winnipeg Comedy Festival.  And according to artistic director Al Rae "apart from the pretend gloom of our Mayan Apocolypto theme, the future of the Winnipeg Comedy Festival has never been brighter."

So who's going to be getting the last laughs April 5 - 15?

The hosts include Canadian icon Alan Thicke of Growing Pains and The Alan Thicke Show,  television sitcom star and talk show host Caroline Rhea, (just think Sabrina the Teenage Witch) and comedian Harland Williams who appeared in the movies Dumb and Dumber and Half Baked.

And CBC faves The Debaters, This is That and DNTO will be presenting their shows in front of live audiences.

The Debaters always draws huge crowds and this year they'll be able to fit more people in as their event moves to the Burton Cummings Theatre.

This Is That features Pete Oldring and Pat Kelly who provide 90% of the voices on the show, even the women sometimes. Their special guest is popular Vancouver comedian Charlie Demers.  He's been on the show before. In fact, he's the man behind This Is That's biggest story ever, "Quebec Lowers the Drinking Age to 14.

CBC Winnipeg's Wab Kinew will be hosting a special Aboriginal show called Unreserved. Some of the performers include Don Kelly, Ryan McMahon and Don Burnstick.

DNTO will once again be at the Gas Station Theatre and will feature four of their favourite storytellers plus a hot Winnipeg musical act.

Here are some of the other performers booked at this year's festival.

Nicole Arbour, Johhny Bagpipes, Sarah Cornell, Sean Cullen, Melanie Dahling, Debra DiGiovanni, Lou Dinos, John B. Duff, Stevie Ray Fromstein, Jen Grant, Cheryl Hann, Dean Jenkinson, Simon King, Matt Kirshen, Rebecca Kohler,  Elvira Kurt,  Laura Landauer, Kevin McDonald and many more.

See more here:
SCENE | Winnipeg Comedy Fest promises last laugh

By: Dario Thuburn
Agence France-Presse

10:54 pm | Thursday, February 23rd, 2012

Microsoft Corp. chairman and philanthropist Bill Gates, left, smiles next to IFAD President Kanayo F. Nwanze during their meeting at the International Fund for Agricultural Development Annual Governing Council at Rome's IFAD headquarters, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012. AP PHOTO/PIER PAOLO CITO

ROME—Microsoft founder Bill Gates on Thursday called for a “digital revolution” to alleviate world hunger by increasing agricultural productivity through satellites and genetically engineered seed varieties.

“We have to think hard about how to start taking advantage of the digital revolution that is driving innovation including in farming,” the US billionaire philanthropist said in a speech at the UN rural poverty agency IFAD in Rome.

“If you care about the poorest, you care about agriculture. We believe that it’s possible for small farmers to double and in some cases even triple their yields in the next 20 years while preserving the land,” Gates said.

He gave as one example of innovation the genetic sequencing that allows cassava farmers in Africa to predict how individual seedlings will perform, shortening the time it takes to develop a new variety from 10 years to two.

Another key development is the use of satellite technology developed by defense departments to document data about individual fields, as well as information videos of farmers discussing best practices to help others.

“If we don’t do this, we’ll have a digital divide in agriculture,” he said.

Gates also defended the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the developing world and large-scale farm land investments by foreign states in the developing world – both highly controversial issues in the aid community.

“You should go out and talk to people growing rice and say do they mind that it was created in a laboratory when their child has enough to eat?” he told reporters at a small media roundtable after his speech.

“The change in the way mankind lives over the last several hundred years is based on adoption of innovative practices and we simply haven’t done enough for those in the greatest need to bring these things,” he said.

On the issue of land investments that are referred to by their critics as “land grabbing,” he said: “It’s not actually possible to grab the land. People don’t put it on boats and take it back to the Middle East.

“If we could have clear guidelines there could be more land deals and overall it could be very beneficial… The truth is the person who is most at risk on a land deal is the person who is putting the money in.”

Gates also unveiled $200 million (150 million euros) in new grants from his foundation to finance research on a new type of drought-resistant maize, a vaccine to help livestock farmers and a project for training farmers.

“Investments in agriculture are the best weapons against hunger and poverty,” he said, adding that his charitable foundation had committed $2.0 billion for farmers and was working on seven crops and one livestock vaccine.

Gates called for a new system of “public scorecards” for developing countries and UN food agencies that would measure things like agricultural productivity, the ability to feed families and farmer education systems.

“It’s something that can be pulled together over the next year,” he said.

“When I meet with an African leader, I’d love to have that report card. I have a report card for health…. Without the scorecards, the donors tend to fund fad-oriented, short-term things,” he told reporters.

The technology pioneer also criticized the work of the UN food agencies in Rome: the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP) and the International Fund for Agriculture and Development (IFAD).

He said the current food and farming aid system was “outdated and somewhat inefficient” with a lot of “duplication.”

For these organizations to go digital will take “a lot of time,” he said.

Asked about the need for wider reforms of capitalism to help the poor, he said: “How do you get rid of its excesses, including the finance people who are paid these huge salaries, without hurting the beneficial things?”

He added: “I wish those Wall Street traders would have gone… and worked on maize and used their mathematical models to look at phenotype versus genotype. It’s clearly imperfect but it’s the best system we have.”

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Tags: aid , Farm , food , IFAD , Internet , technology , UN , US

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Microsoft founder urges digital revolution against hunger