video by Mauricio Balvanera

The 2011 San Francisco Urban Iditarod will be on April 3rd starting from an undisclosed location. Poorly-conceived themes complemented by half-hearted costumes required. Announcement for the start time and location of the event will be announced Friday, April 1st at the not-exactly-official twitter account @urbaniditarodsf.

The Billboard Liberation Front is having a book release event for the Tashen published book Trespass: A History of Uncommissioned Art at City Lights in San Francisco on Thursday, February 17th at 7PM.

The event is hosted by Peter Maravelis of City Lights Books and the BLF’s Jack Napier. Featuring Taschen editor Ethel Seno, a presentation by BLF CIO ______ Blank Decoverly and a short video featuring author Carlo McCormick and Wooster Collective. Various artists featured in the book will be in attendance – get em all to sign your copy of the book.

“The first book to present the full historical sweep, global reach and technical developments of the street art movement, Trespass features key works by 150 artists, and connects four generations of visionary outlaws including Jean Tinguely, Spencer Tunick, Keith Haring, Os Gemeos, Jenny Holzer, Barry McGee, Gordon Matta-Clark, Shepard Fairey, Blu, Billboard Liberation Front, Guerrilla Girls and Banksy, among others. It also includes dozens of previously unpublished photographs of long-lost works and legendary, ephemeral urban artworks.”

Edmonton-based sketch comedy group Mostly Water Theater, created this hilarious spoof of The Learning Channel.

via Urlesque

The greatest game show ever to hit the small screen returns in a star-studded LIVE production! Watch as two contestants match their wits against a panel of San Francisco’s most outrageous celebrities in a verbal slugfest of double-entendres. The first episode of Match Game SF is here! Tune in on January 21st at CELLspace as our contestants vie for big prizes for their favorite charity. Not available on TV! Don’t miss it!

This month’s panel:

Chris Daly, Former SF Supervisor and pottymouth.
______ DeCoverly, Billboard Liberation Front spokesperson
Sister Roma, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
Johnny Funcheap, Head Cheapskate at Funcheap.com
Natasha Muse, comedian
KALRI$$IAN, comedy hip-hop group

The Match Game was a venerable game show that ran during the 70?s with host Gene Rayburn and mainstay panelist Brett Sommers and Charles Nelson Reilly. It was the most popular show until bad decisions by network executives killed it with inconsistent time slots. But never fear, we’re bring it back right here in San Francisco with our own local celebrities!

Check out Match Game SF site on how to get discount tickets and become a contestant.

The San Francisco food cart community has banded together to help one of their own. Mandy Harper, owner of Wholesome Bakery, has assembled nearly every food cart in San Francisco to raise funds to help her brother Nick’s recovery from brain cancer.

The fundraiser will be at La Victoria Bakery on Saturday, October 16th. The event will be 11am to 3pm and then again 6pm to 10pm.

The Online Engineer, a site for broadcast engineers, posts a video of technicians free climbing to the top of a 1768 ft transmission tower antenna. Be sure watch in full screen mode to more effectively soil yourself.

via MetaFilter

Conflicts are even more difficult when more than two people involved. Here, Ellen and Andrew argue about what to do with the small girl that wandered in their home.

Shannon just found out that Derrick’s email address is titty_farm_l69@hotmail.com. Who still uses Hotmail?

Kevin Nguyen at Bygone Bureau illustrates the trials and tribulations of domestic disputes with comps from iStockPhoto, in Domestic Conflict, Explained By Stock Photos.

via Metafilter

ME Pearl Productions consists of a dead squirrel named Pearl that channels Pink Mama (Georgette Spelvin), offering advice to all who ask.

“Weird Al” Yankovic shreds live on stage in Toledo.

billboard after improvement

billboard before improvement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 27, 2010
San Francisco

The Billboard Liberation Front (BLF) is honored to announce a new marketing partnership with Philip Morris (PM) that finally brings together the rugged sense of American independence with your most important choice as a consumer: your death. The message of “My Life. My Death. My Choice.” informs and empowers the consumer to choose, as their god given right, how they want to die. Philip Morris brings this message to the consumer to remind them that some rights are inalienable in life as they are in death.

“We’ve always said that the only two things in life that are unavoidable are death and taxes,” commented Michael E. Szymanczyk, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Philip Morris. “This campaign drives home that message where, if you are gonna die, might as well do it on your terms. Just like our Marlboro Men did.” According to Patrick B. Smelt, Chief of Marketing, “This bold message of independence and demanding life and death on your terms fits with the current zeitgeist of anti-establishmentarianism and post-post-modern rage at the repressive state demanding a healthier you and your environment.”

The BLF was honored to accept this exciting challenge. “We have no comment on President Obama’s health care reform, but many consumer of Philip Morris’s products do. We felt that this campaign picks up on a widespread rage that some nameless, faceless bureaucrat might give them cheaper health care, preventative treatment, and maybe deny them the sweet release we are all seeking,” said Rico T. Spoons, BLF Director of Offense as he idly drew a razorblade across his wrists. “This oppressive political climate and fascist approach towards health raises the comforting question of ‘how will you end it all?’ I like to think that we are just giving some poor folks a reminder that Philip Morris will always be there to help kill you.”

All former Marlboro Men, Wayne McLaren, David McLean and Dick Hammer, were unavailable for comment due to their rugged, manly choice of death by lung cancer.

The improvement can be viewed on Howard at Van Ness in San Francisco.

Comedian Dan Telfer taunts the audience into naming the best dinosaur ever at Chicago Underground Comedy.

via Metafilter

Stéphanie Mercier created this humorous animation “Girls Suck at Video Games” about the challenges working woman.

Dolce Ballet, is a delightful stop-motion animation using food by Maira and Lina Fridman.

via Serious Eats

The Billboard Liberation Front has ‘improved’ a McDonald’s billboard at the corner of Hyde and California in San Francisco. The group has issued a press release about the new campaign.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 6, 2010
San Francisco

The Billboard Liberation Front (BLF) and the McDonald’s Corporation (MCD) have launched a new advertising improvement campaign. The initiative features a bold new slogan, “I’m Sick of It,” and is designed to counter the brand-negatives that have gnawed at MCD since the release of irresponsible attack-films like “Supersize Me” and “Food, Inc.” By embracing the traditional American values of conformity, convenience, and mediocrity, it is intended to reverse the damage done by the nay-saying health-Nazis and cow-hugging America-haters who have taken a bite out of MCD’s market share and hounded its beloved corporate mascot Ronald McDonald into exile.

“In an uncertain world, customers want comfort and sameness in their eating habits,” the spokesclown observed, speaking from the cramped office he shares with fellow expatriate Joe Camel. “It’s not just about portion size, though that’s still important. In these troubled times it’s more about familiarity, about conformity, and most of all about not taking any risks. MCD has responded to that shift in consumer attitudes, and has reengineered its product line to reflect a culinary landscape that prides itself on mediocrity.” Mr. Camel, speaking through a throat-tube, added: “McDonald’s is the cardiologist of America’s destiny.”

To accomplish this historic turnaround, McDonald’s turned to the re-branding experts at BLF, America’s premier Advertising Improvement Agency. “It’s time for McDonald’s to retake the cultural High Ground,” explained BLF Recreative Director ______ deCoverly. “They’ve been on the defensive for years, using generic ‘lifestyle’ ads that deny their core values. Now they’re fighting back, and reclaiming their cultural legacy.”

Unashamed to take a bold stance on America’s milquetoast taste, McDonald’s and the Billboard Liberation Front proudly unveil their new campaign: “I’m Sick of It.” The initial improvement can be seen at the corner of California and Hyde in San Francisco.

Here’s the orginal version of the billboard.

Very Mary-Kate, the unofficial biography of Mary-Kate Olsen, is a hilarious web-series created by actor, writer and comedian Elaine Carroll. See the full series on Vimeo.

via Metafilter

Jack Napier and Milton Rand Kalman of the Billboard Liberation Front will be speaking at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco as part of their Mission Muralismo series on Friday, May 7th.

Cultural Encounters: Friday Nights at the de Young presents “Mission Muralismo” in partnership with Precita Eyes Muralists

WHAT: Street Art San Francisco: Mission Muralismo series presents “Directional Signals: Pranksters and Preachers, Paste and Stencil” featuring talks by Rigo, and John Jota Leaños. Also, Jack Napier, BLF co-founder, and Milton Rand, Kalman BLF chief scientist, will give a presentation titled “The Art and Science of Billboard Improvement,” plus stencil cutting demonstration by Russell Howze author of Stencil Nation: Graffiti, Community and Art.

WHEN: Friday, May 7, 6–8:45 pm
Live music in Wilsey Court: Marcus Shelby Quartet featuring vocalist Faye Carol performing the MLK project, 6:30-8:30 pm

WHERE: de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park

COST: Programs are free of charge

On Friday, May 7, the de Young Museum presents another dynamic program, luminous projections, and book signing in the ongoing series Mission Muralismo, in conjunction with the recently published book Street Art San Francisco: Mission Muralismo, edited by Annice Jacoby for Precita Eyes Muralists, foreword by Carlos Santana (Abrams, 2009). The evening focuses on the talent and passionate work of major contributors to the book: Rigo, John Jota Leaños, Russell Howze, Jack Napier Billboard Liberation Front (BLF) co-founder, and Milton Rand Kalman BLF chief scientist

The lecture/demonstration program will take place in the lobby of the Koret Auditorium starting at 6:45 pm with Russell Howze demonstrating stencil cutting and the process of working a stencil from start to finish. Visitors will have an opportunity to see completed stencils and work at his stencil station until 7:15 pm. Projections of Howze’s work will be shown in the Koret Auditorium.

Dogfish Head Brewery created this brewery tour to poke fun at big business breweries that in their quest for efficiency have squeezed out the human factor. Robot played by Brewery employee, Sam Calagione, interviewer played by actor/musician, Will “Bonny Prince Billy” Oldham.

via Metafilter

Do you add a little bacon to everything you eat? Are your friends blown away by your bacony-creations? Can you build a sculpture out of bacon? BaconCamp is for you! Compete to be master of pork belly and a chance to star in your very own Lipitor commercial*!

(credit: Karen Nguyen and Vanessa Naylon)

BaconCamp is a community-driven gathering bringing together chefs and bacon enthusiasts. It is an interactive event filled with discussions, demos and delicious treats with proceeds going to the San Francisco Food Bank!

BaconCamp takes place on May 8th at Chez Poulet, here’s the Facebook listing.

BaconCamp San Francisco 2010
May 8th, noon-4pm
Chez Poulet
3359 Cesar Chavez (at Mission)
$10 suggested donation

Everyone is encouraged to participate by presenting (food, art, demo), judging, or volunteering. BaconCamp is not a spectator sport. Last year BaconCamp brought in more than 40 presentations and more than 300 participants.

To volunteer, judge or present a dish email karen [aat] karenism [dott] com or sign up at the wiki. Donate at Kickstarter.

*no.

Cleanternet.org is tongue-in-cheek site supporting European Commissioner Cecilia Malmström plans to introduce website blocking in Europe and save us from ourselves.

via Metafilter

Australian comedy group, Axis of Awesome, performed “Four Chord Song” at the 2009 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Now you know how to write a pop hit.

Bob Caruthers, a retired professor of Graphic Design, created Similarities to highlight pieces of art that reference older design. The resemblance range from accidental, to homage and inspiration or outright theft appropriation. Some folks make their entire careers contextualizing old art.

appropriated from Metafilter

Today is National High Five Day. The creators of this glorious holiday have made a music video to help spread the word.

National High Five Day falls on the third Thursday of April each year, which falls this year on April 15, 2010. The holiday originated at the University of Virginia in 2002, and has since spread across the nation, and around the globe.

San Francisco based French Press Films created this wonderful music video for the song “Pole Position” by Tempo No Tempo from their album “Waking Heat”.

“Four Lions” is an upcoming UK comedy about suicide bombers. Written and directed by Chris Morris, the Most Hated Man in Britain™ and creator of UK satire documentaries Brass Eye.

via Metafilter

Brad Smith, an Ontario-based video game programmer, asked the question, “Have you ever wondered what Dark Side of the Moon would sound like if Pink Floyd had written it for NES, instead of for a rock band?“. The result: MOON8.

via Metafilter