Monday, March 11, 2013

Saw. . .


. . . a headline on the web the other day. . .

". . .TIT FOR TAT What Happens When You Post Revenge Porn?
Nerve Lust
It's a truly modern story: Man posts revenge porn of ex-girlfriend, ex-girlfriend then posts revenge porn of man. . ."

A contemporary problem, to be sure.  Revenge Porn!!???
 
First, the only place revenge should exist is in a Mel Gibson movie.  In real life, it serves no purpose and never solves anything.  (Example:  Israel and Palestine)

Second, revenge and porn within the same sentence is pure incongruity.  Only in this post-digital, pro-reality-TV, sub-stratus-personal standards age could two unrelated terms be used within the same sentence and actually portray a veritable reality. 






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Sunday, March 10, 2013

Lines. . .

. . . Written in Early Spring. . . 
(By William Wordsworth)


I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What man has made of man.

Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And ’tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.

The birds around me hopped and played,
Their thoughts I cannot measure:—
But the least motion which they made
It seemed a thrill of pleasure.

The budding twigs spread out their fan,
To catch the breezy air;
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.

If this belief from heaven be sent,
If such be Nature’s holy plan,
Have I not reason to lament
What man has made of man?
Source: The Longman Anthology of Poetry (Pearson, 2006)




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Saturday, March 9, 2013

Dweezil. . .

. . . Zappa, did you know, was named after his mother's toe?

. . . there are worse things after which to name a baby. . .

. . . But nevertheless,  it can't be easy to be the son of one, choose the same profession and follow in the footsteps of one of the most controversial, loved-or-hated, cult-hero, talented, dedicated musician/composer/producer/creative artists of the 20th century. . . 

(from http://www.allmusic.com/album/return-of-the-son-of-mw0001997668)
". . . Having apparently given up on the idea of having a solo career outside his father's shadow, Dweezil Zappa has taken to touring with a project he calls Zappa Plays Zappa, which is exactly what it sounds like: an evening of Frank Zappa music, played by his son and a band of talented if relatively faceless pros. From a purely musical standpoint, this stuff is excellent; Zappa junior is a ferocious guitarist, and he and the band know the material inside and out. . ."

(http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=7451)
". . .In the years that followed, ZAPPA's playing and writing gradually grew to take on more of his father's style, humor and complexity. During the mid-90s, Dweezil formed the band Z with his brother Ahmet. This group also included Mike KENEALLY and members of his band, and KENEALLY's sound dominates this project. In 2006 he released his finest, and most progressive album to date, Go With What You Know, where he mixes his hard rock chops with music that comes very close to his father's rock work. . ."

(from http://www.deepdiscount.com/cd/Go-with-What-You-Know?)utm_source=PriceGrabber&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=PriceGrabber
". . .The new Dweezil Zappa record (CD) is aptly titled "Automatic". It's his first release under his own name in nearly a decade and marks a return to his roots as a guitarist. It's also the first predominately instrumental guitar album of his career. Operating under the musical credo "anything at anytime for any reason at all" gave Dweezil the freedom to explore new territory. The album features thick layers of multi-tracked guitar textures, all perfectly executed and combined with wild rhythms and intriguing improvisations, adding nicely to the Zappa Family legacy which has provided alternative entertainment for those who have embraced it for over thirty years. . ."

. . but he's holding his own. . . he's super talented and creative. . . 



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Friday, March 8, 2013

Good. . .

. . . for you. . .

Do we really know what is good for us?  Just watched a flick from '96 called Citizen Ruth which asks that, among other questions.   I remember in my early working days encountering homeless people downtown and wondering if my giving them a dollar was actually a benefit to them.  Then there was an episode of LA Law (I think), where one of the attorneys took an interest in a homeless woman and went to great pains to get her involved in a program that would help her become a stable, self- sustaining citizen.  Turns out the woman did not want the help of the attorney at all.  She merely wanted cash to satisfy her immediate need or desire, no matter how temporary, superficial or unhealthy.  She was, in the end, quite content with her homeless lifestyle.

Ruth, in the movie, was similar.  And while she became involved with people who, unlike the attorney, offered her help under the guise of beneficence but were merely using her situation to further their own (political, in this case) agenda.  

How true to life.  




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Thursday, March 7, 2013

Good. . .

. . . news (for a change). . .
(By Yvonne Wenger, The Baltimore Sun)
". . . As a Friday deadline approaches, advocates are working to find housing for the homeless men and women living at a Baltimore encampment set to be cleared.

Christina Flowers, president of Belvedere Homes, stopped by the site between Interstate 83 and the Fallsway on Wednesday with a promise to find housing for those who want it. She said her organization secured a three-bedroom house in the Harwood neighborhood to accommodate six of the roughly 18 men and women at the encampment.

"At this point, it's just about being able to move forward," said Flowers, whose organization on North Charles Street provides housing for those who are homeless, suffer from disabilities or have a mental illness. "We've got the building; now we need the sheets and dishes."

  Flowers worked with other community advocates to identify open rooms for the camp residents, most of whom refused to go to a city emergency shelters for various reasons, including safety concerns.

The housing will be available permanently for those who want it, but they'll have to contribute money each month if they have income, such as disability benefits, Flowers said. . ."





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Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Currently. . .

. . . that is about 6:15AM EST, on Wednesday. . .

The National Weather Service website said, "The storm system impacting the Midwest will shift into the northeast U.S. on Wednesday, bringing a plethora of weather hazards. Heavy snow, especially in the central Appalachians and northern Mid-Atlantic, strong winds, coastal flooding and rough seas are a few of the weather hazards which may lead to dangerous travel conditions, localized power outages and property damage."

Funny how one's perception of WEATHER (among many other things) changes with age:

At 6 years of age -  the more severe the forecast, the better.  Bring it on.  No school. YEAH!!

At 16 years of age - severe forecast, could get a day off,  will miss band practice,  have to make up missed schoolwork. 

At 26 years of age - driving to work is going to be a bear.  

At 36 years of age - schools are closed.  Who's going watch the kids.

At 46 years of age - driving to work is going to be a bear.  Hope the kids drive safely.

At 56 years of age - snow, wind, floods, power outages and property damage - let's move SOUTH.

BTW, at 10:49PM EST, all we got was rain.  Haha.  Oh well.





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Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Fishbone. . .

(from wikipedia.com)
Fishbone is a U.S. alternative rock band formed in 1979 in Los Angeles, California, which plays a fusion of ska, punk rock, funk, hard rock and soul. Critics have noted of the band: "Fishbone was one of the most distinctive and eclectic alternative rock bands of the late '80s. With their hyperactive, self-conscious diversity, goofy sense of humor, and sharp social commentary, the group gained a sizable cult following during the late '80s, yet they were never able to earn a mainstream audience."

Fishbone first assembled in 1979 with John Norwood Fisher (bass); his brother Phillip "Fish" Fisher (drums); Angelo Moore, who sometimes uses the stage name "Dr. Madd Vibe" (vocals, saxophones ranging from sopranino to bass, theremin); Kendall Jones (guitar); "Dirty" Walter A. Kibby II (vocals, trumpet); and Christopher Dowd, who sometimes uses the pseudonym "Charlie Down" (keyboards, trombone, vocals). Founding members John Norwood Fisher, Angelo Moore, and Walter Kibby remain with the band as of 2013.

Fishbone got started in 1979 as a "disparate, all-black oddball crew" when the members were in junior high school. The Fisher brothers, Jones, Dowd, and Kibby were all from South Central Los Angeles. and were included in a school busing program that sent them daily to the San Fernando Valley, where they met Moore, who was native to the area. After first using the name Megatron with Titus Norris on vocals, the sextet adopted the name Fishbone and formed a unique stew of different styles that became popular in the Los Angeles club scene and was a great influence on several subsequent alternative bands.[citation needed] They were close friends with Los Angeles bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Thelonious Monster. Fishbone were signed to Columbia Records in 1983 after being spotted at a club gig by producer David Kahne. Their first release was the 1985 single "Party at Ground Zero", followed by a self-titled EP, Fishbone. In 1987, in support of their first full-length album, In Your Face, the band performed "Jamaica Ska" in the Annette Funicello/Frankie Avalon reunion movie Back to the Beach. Fishbone's first major international tour was as the opening act for the Beastie Boys.

Fishbone was mostly considered to be a ska and funk band in their early years, but later became more guitar-driven with a focus on rock and soul music. The 1988 album Truth and Soul brought Fishbone wide critical acclaim. With this album, the band also added left-leaning social commentary to their lyrics, covering important topics such as the breakup of families, early 1990s racism, fascism, nuclear war, and oppression in lower income housing projects. The album was highlighted by a hard rock-inspired version of Curtis Mayfield's classic "Freddie's Dead" from the film Super Fly. The music video, directed by Douglas Gayeton, became the band's first hit on MTV. That same year, the group toured with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and became nationally known in the burgeoning alternative music scene. Also that year, Fishbone and Little Richard recorded the Lead Belly song "Rock Island Line" for the tribute album Folkways: A Vision Shared.

The band added former Miles Davis sideman John Bigham on guitar and keyboards in 1989. The 1991 album The Reality of My Surroundings was a critical and commercial success, reaching #49 on the Billboard albums chart. One month before the album's release, the group played a memorable performance on Saturday Night Live of "Sunless Saturday," a song which later featured an MTV video directed by Spike Lee. The song "Everyday Sunshine" also became a modest hit on radio and MTV.

While the band retained their roots in funk and ska, the 1993 album Give a Monkey a Brain and He'll Swear He's the Center of the Universe included songs with hard rock, punk, and heavy metal elements. At the time of the album's release, the band began to tear apart internally. Just before Fishbone joined the 1993 Lollapalooza tour, guitarist Kendall Jones, reportedly suffering from mental instability, quit the band and joined a religious group. Bassist John Norwood Fisher tracked Jones down in the belief that he needed rescue from the religious group, only to be charged with attempted kidnapping; Fisher was acquitted at trial. A benefit concert to help with Fisher's legal expenses featured Porno for Pyros, Primus, Tool, and Alice in Chains. Keyboardist Christopher Dowd left Fishbone in 1994 and released an album titled Puzzle in 1997 under the name The Seedy Arkhestra, with various guests including Jeff Buckley and N'Dea Davenport. The album included an anti-Fishbone song called "Flog Your Dead Horse."






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