Numbers are just numbers

1. Hip Hop DX has a great article comparing current forms of popular black entertainment to the days of blackface. The difference this time being it's now the black people finding the sendups of derivative stereotypes entertaining rather than a repressive white society. Also makes reference to the new Little Brother album, though Pitchfork claims most of the songs have little if anything to do with the title The Ministrel Show.
2. Music From My Loft has a great new mix out featuring a lot of records you likely have never heard of but undoubtedly will be able to appreciate.
3. Planned Parenthood of Philadelphia is organizing pledge donors to collect money based on the number of protestors who show up at their steps between October and November trying to discourage women from having abortions. Basically a pledge rate is determined per protestor and the money raised goes toward combatting the hateful and harmful messages put out by the zealots projecting their own morality issues onto others. Talk about an effective counterbalance.
4. On a lighter note, Nintendo has revealed their new controller for the upcoming Revolution system, and in keeping with their history of innovation before exploitation it is unlike anything seen before. More or less it has the look and feel of a remote control, the idea being that its shape will make it more accessible to the casual player or non-player. The ingenuity lies in how it can be employed however. Nintendo claims that although it features a lack of buttons that many gamers would consider sacrilege, the controller can be used as a wand, gun, baseball bat, etc. and will be a catalyst in a new degree of interaction within games.