The Null Device

2004/7/28

Conservative Punk, a new website to fill the neglected intersection between US Republicans and punk-rock fans. In other words, it's a generic right-wing/Libertarian news/spin/liberal-bashing portal with a "punk"-style T-shirt store attached; were it not for the title, you'd have a hard time of identifying the "punk" content. (via tyrsalvia)

Say what you will about the compatibility of conservatism and punk, there are more absurd things, like, for example, Christian Hardcore Punk. Adolescent subcultures are primarily about individuation from one's parents' generation and authority, and a version of "hardcore punk" that is family oriented and whose ideals involve obedience to parental authority seems to miss the point. Whereas being a gleefully obnoxious contrarian right-winger to piss off the right-on inner-city lefty types, it could be argued, is as punk as Sid Vicious' swastika T-shirt (or at least as punk as anything the recording industry has shat out in the past five years).

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Remember the Black Spot Sneaker, those Adbusters people's attempt to take on the Nikes of this world at their own game, by producing shoes similar to the coolsie hipster footwear advertised in VICE and such only without the economic brutality involved? Well, they've now started production; they're using a unionised, family-run shoe factory in Portugal, and 100% vegan, organic hemp from Romania. Which should make for the ultimate pair of right-on sneakers for cruelty-free hipsters; what they look like, however, is as yet unknown; as is how much it'll cost to make them with decently-paid EU-based labour. (The site has what appears to be a modified Converse All-Star shoe displayed.)

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A new study from US Federal Reserve economists has shown that countries with widespread beliefs in Hell and damnation are less corrupt and more prosperous. The report, of course, casts a very flattering light on the US, with its marriage of fire-and-brimstone Christianity and free-market liberalism like a shining beacon to all. Common sense psychology, or more of the Bush administration's neo-Lysenkoist ideological pseudoscience? (via bOING bOING)

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