dopedates

Dope updates from the blogosphere:

• Blind I For the Kids sends word of UC Berkeley's progressing research into invisibility cloaks. I know, right?
• $ of Blind I and JOAT links to Damu the Fudgemunk's latest freebie, Overtime, which I haven't heard but am downloading right now because this guy is definitely on my list of producers to track, pun sadly intended. I love that this distribution method's making the best use of viral marketing/word-of-mouth in favor of the artist and those of us who are fiends for file-sharing, especially before committing to a purchase.
• Hima (a friend of a friend) at Gordon Gartrelle publishes an interesting post that offers some troublesome but new perspective on microfinance lender Grameen Bank from a college student (an actual friend) who spent his summer working there. This definitely plays into the fears of some advocates that have recognized the poverty panacea's vulnerability against the ills of capitalism and corporate agendas superseding the needs of poor entrepreneurs just "tryna make a dolla outta fifteen cent." I think it's clear where my empathy lies.
• OK, here goes...Soul Sides tipped me off to Good Records NYC, which tipped me off to Stefan Glerum's insightful and beautifully drawn Crate Digging: Don't Do It series about why no one in their right mind should take up crate digging as a hobby.
• Speaking of Soul Sides, check out Mr. Wang's tribute to Isaac Hayes (rest in peace), as well as J Blow's tribute at All Up In Your Earhole

R.I.P Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes