here's a picture i created with the help of a site called obamicon.me. it was very easy to do and probably took about a total of ten minutes of tweaking to get it just right. for best results i recommend that you use some photo editing software, such as photoshop, to eliminate the background from the picture before uploading to the site.

i've decided to start posting up new dj mixsets from some of my favorite dj/producers. since i hardly get around to posting any real content on here maybe this could suffice until that time comes. the links i provide to said mixes will most likely always come from free webhosting. this is'nt a bad thing really, you just may have to click around a bit, or even enter a captcha text phrase in order to reveal the actual download link to the file. i'm in the process of evaluating which free file host site is the best for my (and essentially your) needs. once i settle on one, the links i post will be more consistent and hopefully less of a hassle to navigate to the actual file itself. with that said, here are three brand spankin new sets which have seen much play on my ipod:

• calvin harris - essential mix 10/18/08

you may have heard some of calvin's tunes off of his latest album entitled 'i created disco'. if you've ever checked out my last.fm page you can see that i've played the hell out of that album - it's actually really good. i wasn't aware that calvin was also a dj, so this new mix on essential mix radio was a very pleasant suprise. enjoy.

• lifted music podcast 12 - hosted by chris renegade and spor

this was another unexpected treat that just hit the net. if you're looking to get your drum and bass fix of new and upcoming tracks this is one is for you.

• richie hawtin - fireside chat 10/16/08

it's no surprise that richie hawtin is one of my favorite producers, so this one has seen more play than the rest for me. this one is also very unique since it's not really a dj mix but rather a playlist of epic tracks mostly from the days when he went under the moniker - plastikman. this is my first discovery of fireside chat and i was pleased to find out that not only do you get to hear tunes but also commentary from the producer as well. check this one out for sure.

here's a logo i created in photoshop today for an online gaming group that i friend and i have just started called the michigan gaming militia. i got the idea for this logo by spoofing an already made logo of the real michigan militia - see the resemblance?
play online games? from michigan? got steam? join our group!

in this video, uber dj, producer and m-nus label boss richie hawtin invites us into his berlin home to shares tips and tricks about performing with traktor. richie reveals how traktor provides the creative platform that allows him to constantly push the boundaries of cutting-edge dance music.

ran across this other day on core77 and thought it was worth mentioning on here. the picture above is of a new gaming headset designed by a group of guys from astro studios. these same guys have quite an extensive portfolio, with the bulk of their work geared toward the tech industry. you may already be familiar with their work...ever heard of the xbox360?
a couple features of the a40 headset that make them really appealing to me are:

• the ability to remove the boom mic from the headset, essentially making it just some cool looking headphones. actually, not only can you remove the mic from the headset but you can even switch it from the left to right side. Why hasn't anyone thought of this before?
• extra padding around the ears and top bridge. i'd say the thing i dislike the most about my current cans are the fact that they become uncomfortable after an hour or so of gaming. this a40 headset looks like it won't disappoint in the comfort category.
  

i'll definitely be on the lookout for a good deal on this headset. advertised price on the headset (not including mix amp) is $199.95 - a tad bit priced too high in my opinion. click here to read more at core77, and watch the video product demo.

the sniper - the second class out of nine, which also happens to be my favorite class to play. binding the kukri to button 6 on my mouse has saved my ass many, many times.

here's a sneak peak at the bottle opener i designed for the free part day at bigbluesaw.com. the part was designed in autocad, saved as a .dxf file, then uploaded to their site. From there my part will be cut-out via waterjet using .125" thick - 6061 aluminum. had i been given the choice i would have used stainless steel instead of aluminum for the opener. unfortunately i could only choose between 6061 aluminum or clear acrylic to qualify for the free offer. the above picture is a 3d model of the bottle opener imported into google sketchup from autocad. stay tuned for photos of the finished part once i have received it.