Saturday, April 05, 2003
NEWS FROM THE NATURAL WORLD
The giant Mimivirus
The French have found a giant virus in a British water cooling tower. The virus lives in single-celled organisms called amoebae and may be able to infect humans.
The big squid
As reported by the BBC, an absolutely spectacular new specimen of a so-called "colossal squid" or Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni has been found on the surface of the Ross Sea. Previously only six specimens of this type of squid have ever been recovered.
(Source: Sci-Fi Today)
Jupiter has more moons
AP reports that six more moons have been found orbiting Jupiter, bringing the total number of satellites to 58.
Comment
The giant Mimivirus
The French have found a giant virus in a British water cooling tower. The virus lives in single-celled organisms called amoebae and may be able to infect humans.
The big squid
As reported by the BBC, an absolutely spectacular new specimen of a so-called "colossal squid" or Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni has been found on the surface of the Ross Sea. Previously only six specimens of this type of squid have ever been recovered.
(Source: Sci-Fi Today)
Jupiter has more moons
AP reports that six more moons have been found orbiting Jupiter, bringing the total number of satellites to 58.
Comment
READING: Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
"The night before he went to London, Richard Mayhew was not enjoying himself.
He had begun the evening by enjoying himself; he had enjoyed reading the good-bye cards, and receiving the hugs from several not entirely unattractive young ladies of his acquaintance; he enjoyed the warnings about the dangers and evils of London, and the gift of the white umbrella with the Map of the London underground on it that his friends had chipped in money to buy; he had enjoyed the first few pints of ale; but then, with each successive pint he found that he was enjoying himself significantly less; until now he was sitting and shivering on the sidewalk outside the pub in a small Scottish toen, weighing the relative merits of being sick and not being sick and not enjoying himself at all."
These are the opening words of Nevermore, a fantasy novel by Neil Gaiman. Richard Mayhew is Nevermore's boy not quite yet a man but really cute hero, who soon finds himself on a mythical journey of discovery following his love, a noblewoman named Door (she opens then, ya see.) If you like fantasy literature, this one gets a solid B.
Comment
"The night before he went to London, Richard Mayhew was not enjoying himself.
He had begun the evening by enjoying himself; he had enjoyed reading the good-bye cards, and receiving the hugs from several not entirely unattractive young ladies of his acquaintance; he enjoyed the warnings about the dangers and evils of London, and the gift of the white umbrella with the Map of the London underground on it that his friends had chipped in money to buy; he had enjoyed the first few pints of ale; but then, with each successive pint he found that he was enjoying himself significantly less; until now he was sitting and shivering on the sidewalk outside the pub in a small Scottish toen, weighing the relative merits of being sick and not being sick and not enjoying himself at all."
These are the opening words of Nevermore, a fantasy novel by Neil Gaiman. Richard Mayhew is Nevermore's boy not quite yet a man but really cute hero, who soon finds himself on a mythical journey of discovery following his love, a noblewoman named Door (she opens then, ya see.) If you like fantasy literature, this one gets a solid B.
Comment
DEPARTMENT OF DUBIOUS NEWS, TRUE STORIES DIVISION
Buy the dress, read the book
The Quicksilver Clothing Company announced today that they were launching Luna Bay, a Roxy Girl book series for 8-12 year olds. Featuring five fifteen-year old girls who are friends and live live by the beach in Southern California, the series will focus on relationships, dating, friends, family, and buying the coolest Roxy Girl products, in the purest way possible, of course.
"These books are authentic. They're a great read, written by a good author."
--Danny Kwock, 42, co-lead of Quicksilver's entertainment division.
"We were sitting in the company cafeteria, talking to some girls who work here. Turns out they're all voracious readers, all members of book clubs and, of course, they all surf. They said they couldn't think of any good girls' fiction since those old series, like 'Sweet Valley High."
--Matt Jacobson, 42, Quicksilver Entertainment co-lead.
"This was unique. It was Kismet. Danny and Matt came to us looking for a publishing partner. I looked at these people, so passionate about empowering girls, so committed to their audience, and to the sport.... From my perspective as a publisher, this is extremely important. This series says to girls, 'I'm really passionate about this sport, but I'm doing it while I'm also balancing my life, my friends, my schoolwork -- all my other passions."
--Hope Iinnelli, editorial director, Harper Entertainment.
Too bad teens are going to read this drivel. Guess it means they're no better than their parents, but shame on the publishing company for shovelling this crap down their throats.
Source: LA Times
Comment
Buy the dress, read the book
The Quicksilver Clothing Company announced today that they were launching Luna Bay, a Roxy Girl book series for 8-12 year olds. Featuring five fifteen-year old girls who are friends and live live by the beach in Southern California, the series will focus on relationships, dating, friends, family, and buying the coolest Roxy Girl products, in the purest way possible, of course.
"These books are authentic. They're a great read, written by a good author."
--Danny Kwock, 42, co-lead of Quicksilver's entertainment division.
"We were sitting in the company cafeteria, talking to some girls who work here. Turns out they're all voracious readers, all members of book clubs and, of course, they all surf. They said they couldn't think of any good girls' fiction since those old series, like 'Sweet Valley High."
--Matt Jacobson, 42, Quicksilver Entertainment co-lead.
"This was unique. It was Kismet. Danny and Matt came to us looking for a publishing partner. I looked at these people, so passionate about empowering girls, so committed to their audience, and to the sport.... From my perspective as a publisher, this is extremely important. This series says to girls, 'I'm really passionate about this sport, but I'm doing it while I'm also balancing my life, my friends, my schoolwork -- all my other passions."
--Hope Iinnelli, editorial director, Harper Entertainment.
Too bad teens are going to read this drivel. Guess it means they're no better than their parents, but shame on the publishing company for shovelling this crap down their throats.
Source: LA Times
Comment
Some ways to find people who many not want to be found
Google: Type in a phone number and get the address
(via Mark Graham)
Famous people's email addresses:
Email addresses for dozens of literary agents
Comment
Google: Type in a phone number and get the address
(via Mark Graham)
Famous people's email addresses:
Email addresses for dozens of literary agents
Comment
HE AIN'T NO SEIGFRIED SASSON: Donald Rumsfeld's Touch of the Poet
Slate says Rumsfield is a poet at heart, and fashions verse out of his briefings on the Department of Defense site to prove it.
The Unknown
As we know,
There are known knowns.
There are things we know we know.
We also know
There are known unknowns.
That is to say
We know there are some things
We do not know.
But there are also unknown unknowns,
The ones we don't know
We don't know.
—Feb. 12, 2002, Department of Defense news briefing
Clarity
I think what you'll find,
I think what you'll find is,
Whatever it is we do substantively,
There will be near-perfect clarity
As to what it is.
And it will be known,
And it will be known to the Congress,
And it will be known to you,
Probably before we decide it,
But it will be known.
—Feb. 28, 2003, Department of Defense briefing
Comment
Slate says Rumsfield is a poet at heart, and fashions verse out of his briefings on the Department of Defense site to prove it.
The Unknown
As we know,
There are known knowns.
There are things we know we know.
We also know
There are known unknowns.
That is to say
We know there are some things
We do not know.
But there are also unknown unknowns,
The ones we don't know
We don't know.
—Feb. 12, 2002, Department of Defense news briefing
Clarity
I think what you'll find,
I think what you'll find is,
Whatever it is we do substantively,
There will be near-perfect clarity
As to what it is.
And it will be known,
And it will be known to the Congress,
And it will be known to you,
Probably before we decide it,
But it will be known.
—Feb. 28, 2003, Department of Defense briefing
Comment
Friday, April 04, 2003
BELOVED MEMORIES: SF CHRONICLE asks San Franciscans "What do you miss about the dot-com boom?
--Grown men on push scooters, $8 cocktails at high-falutin' restaurants, rude people with newfound wealth, sky-high rents and everything ending with ".com." Oh wait, that's what I don't miss. --Parker Gibbs, Noe Valley
Note: According to Google, Parker Gibbs used to sell ads for a web site called snackcake.com. Figures.
Comment
--Grown men on push scooters, $8 cocktails at high-falutin' restaurants, rude people with newfound wealth, sky-high rents and everything ending with ".com." Oh wait, that's what I don't miss. --Parker Gibbs, Noe Valley
Note: According to Google, Parker Gibbs used to sell ads for a web site called snackcake.com. Figures.
Comment
Slow Flow Life in San Francisco vs. New York
San Francisco, April 4--Arrived from NY last night and am staying with my friends Judy and Brent in Bernal Heights, a neighborhood up the hill from the Mission District. There are four coffeehouses, two nail parlors, a library and a yoga studio within a six-block stretch on Cortland Street, Bernal Height's main drag. Oh yes, and four parks, two popular with dog owners, the others popular with parents of small children.
Walking around this morning--between my first latte in Tom's Coffee House, and my second at Moonlight Cafe & Creperie, I thought about whether I could live comfortably in Bernal Heights with a husband, a teenager, and an 110 pound dog. --I think we'd very much enjoy this neighborhood.
As the school year winds down, my family continues to discuss whether we are better off living for our family to live on the East Coast or on the West Coast.
When we first moved back to New York after three years in Silicon Valley, we were eager to return to a town we'd lived in before, so we chose South Orange, a diverse suburb 25 minutes west of Manhattan. But one of the first things I noticed as I started walking around South Orange once again is that nobody looks very happy.
In fact, the everyday expression on many people's faces in South Orange seems to be of diffuse and free-floating suspicion and hostility. These sour faces are born out of the fear that someone might pull something on them if they don't watch out . At constant risk of being blown away, you've gotta be vigilant.
The flowers in front of all the houses in Judy and Brent's neighborhood, the sharply slanted hills, pedestrians who smile when you walk past them, the large percentage of cheap pho joints and taquerias--none of these are complete reasons to move across the country to California, but they're all factors. The smile factors, I suppose. The people on the bus don't scowl at you factors.
Truth is, even if we're not admitting it, we're moving. Somehow in the space of three years in Silicon Valley, despite all the newspaper we read, the bagels we devours, and the arguments about movies and politics, we became Californians.
Time to go home.
Comment
San Francisco, April 4--Arrived from NY last night and am staying with my friends Judy and Brent in Bernal Heights, a neighborhood up the hill from the Mission District. There are four coffeehouses, two nail parlors, a library and a yoga studio within a six-block stretch on Cortland Street, Bernal Height's main drag. Oh yes, and four parks, two popular with dog owners, the others popular with parents of small children.
Walking around this morning--between my first latte in Tom's Coffee House, and my second at Moonlight Cafe & Creperie, I thought about whether I could live comfortably in Bernal Heights with a husband, a teenager, and an 110 pound dog. --I think we'd very much enjoy this neighborhood.
As the school year winds down, my family continues to discuss whether we are better off living for our family to live on the East Coast or on the West Coast.
When we first moved back to New York after three years in Silicon Valley, we were eager to return to a town we'd lived in before, so we chose South Orange, a diverse suburb 25 minutes west of Manhattan. But one of the first things I noticed as I started walking around South Orange once again is that nobody looks very happy.
In fact, the everyday expression on many people's faces in South Orange seems to be of diffuse and free-floating suspicion and hostility. These sour faces are born out of the fear that someone might pull something on them if they don't watch out . At constant risk of being blown away, you've gotta be vigilant.
The flowers in front of all the houses in Judy and Brent's neighborhood, the sharply slanted hills, pedestrians who smile when you walk past them, the large percentage of cheap pho joints and taquerias--none of these are complete reasons to move across the country to California, but they're all factors. The smile factors, I suppose. The people on the bus don't scowl at you factors.
Truth is, even if we're not admitting it, we're moving. Somehow in the space of three years in Silicon Valley, despite all the newspaper we read, the bagels we devours, and the arguments about movies and politics, we became Californians.
Time to go home.
Comment
Thursday, April 03, 2003
DON'T WEAR IT UNLESS YOU CAN DESCRIBE IT DEPARTMENT
For those of us who love fashion but are unsure what to buy this spring, fashion web site Net-a-porter offers their list of must-have style item.
Since their descriptions are a little hard to understand, SMB offers this list as a simultaneous translation from the fashionese.
Chloe: Black leather bracelet bag
SMB: Little black purse holds cellphone, cash
Alberta Ferretti: Tinkerbell beaded top
SMB: Display your tatas under this whispy little nothing
Joie: So Real cargo jeans
SMB: Williamsburgh hipster army-surplus style denims
Leflesh: Black gilet with ruffled cap sleeves
SMB: Beat me with your rhythm stick vest
Jamin Puech: The Japanese inspired print obi belt set
SMB: Duran Dura 80's-style wide belt, to be worn naked
Marahishi: The plum geodragon snopants
SMB: Snowpants for ravers
Albert Ferretti: The black beaded wide leg pants
SMB: Just like Cher's Bob Mackie pair
Comment
For those of us who love fashion but are unsure what to buy this spring, fashion web site Net-a-porter offers their list of must-have style item.
Since their descriptions are a little hard to understand, SMB offers this list as a simultaneous translation from the fashionese.
Chloe: Black leather bracelet bag
SMB: Little black purse holds cellphone, cash
Alberta Ferretti: Tinkerbell beaded top
SMB: Display your tatas under this whispy little nothing
Joie: So Real cargo jeans
SMB: Williamsburgh hipster army-surplus style denims
Leflesh: Black gilet with ruffled cap sleeves
SMB: Beat me with your rhythm stick vest
Jamin Puech: The Japanese inspired print obi belt set
SMB: Duran Dura 80's-style wide belt, to be worn naked
Marahishi: The plum geodragon snopants
SMB: Snowpants for ravers
Albert Ferretti: The black beaded wide leg pants
SMB: Just like Cher's Bob Mackie pair
Comment
Why I love Popbitch, April 3rd installment:
From the latest newsletter:
>> Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em <<
Admiral Keating: can't touch this
At the start of Gulf War II, US Naval Rear
Admiral Timothy Keating of USS Constellation
found a novel way to encourage his troops
on to war.
He got everyone together on deck, played
Queen's We Will Rock You really, really loud,
and announced...
"It's hammer time!"
Also:
>> Celebrity parasites <<
No 34: the positioner
Mariah Carey has a "Positioner" on her staff.
He accompanies her everywhere, and his only job
is to get her into the right position every
time she's on camera.
(FYI: her correct "position" while doing interviews
is: leg nearest camera out straight, other leg bent,
one arm over chair/sofa, chest out, pointed at camera.
Watch next time and check)
Comment
From the latest newsletter:
>> Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em <<
Admiral Keating: can't touch this
At the start of Gulf War II, US Naval Rear
Admiral Timothy Keating of USS Constellation
found a novel way to encourage his troops
on to war.
He got everyone together on deck, played
Queen's We Will Rock You really, really loud,
and announced...
"It's hammer time!"
Also:
>> Celebrity parasites <<
No 34: the positioner
Mariah Carey has a "Positioner" on her staff.
He accompanies her everywhere, and his only job
is to get her into the right position every
time she's on camera.
(FYI: her correct "position" while doing interviews
is: leg nearest camera out straight, other leg bent,
one arm over chair/sofa, chest out, pointed at camera.
Watch next time and check)
Comment
Here it is--my first published story since I left AOL--Thanks to Jim Hollander, a smart editor.
Kevin Sites and the Blogging Controversy
CNN war correspondent was told to shut down his popular site, touching off an ongoing debate on blogging as a legitimate form of journalism
Read the full story here in the Online Journalism Review
Are Weblogs one more tool in the arsenal used by online journalists to report the news? Or does a blog’s typically individualistic voice and unfiltered attitude place it outside the journalist’s palette? These rhetorical questions have exploded into a raging debate among online journalism watchers following CNN’s decision to force war correspondent Kevin Sites to stop posting items to the popular blog he created while on assignment in northern Iraq.
To blog or not to blog? The controversy has helped blogs jump up on the public’s radar screen, but it has also divided the working press into separate and distinct camps.
For more of this story, click here
Comment
Kevin Sites and the Blogging Controversy
CNN war correspondent was told to shut down his popular site, touching off an ongoing debate on blogging as a legitimate form of journalism
Read the full story here in the Online Journalism Review
Are Weblogs one more tool in the arsenal used by online journalists to report the news? Or does a blog’s typically individualistic voice and unfiltered attitude place it outside the journalist’s palette? These rhetorical questions have exploded into a raging debate among online journalism watchers following CNN’s decision to force war correspondent Kevin Sites to stop posting items to the popular blog he created while on assignment in northern Iraq.
To blog or not to blog? The controversy has helped blogs jump up on the public’s radar screen, but it has also divided the working press into separate and distinct camps.
For more of this story, click here
Comment
Wednesday, April 02, 2003
Here's a really scary email about SARS in San Jose California (my adopted hometown). Considering I am going to San Fran this weekend, this really strikes terror--
Via dave farber)
From: "Jon O."
Reply-To: "jono@networkcommand.com"
Date: Tue, 01 Apr 2003 11:08:41 -0800
To: dave@farber.net
Subject: SARS infected plane in SJ
Dave:
I'm sure you have probably heard there is a plane with
at least 4 possible SARS infections on the ground in San
Jose -- two crew, two passengers. CNN just reported the
4 patients will be taken for treatment, the other passengers
will be allowed to *leave* with a card asking them to
call if they get sick.
This is the worst possible course of action. Two crew
possibly infected means they may have all had interactions
with many passengers (drinks, meals, etc.). Allowing
the other passengers to just leave will likely result
in them becoming ill, after infecting many other people
during the incubation period.
ARRRGHHHH
Comment
Via dave farber)
From: "Jon O."
Reply-To: "jono@networkcommand.com"
Date: Tue, 01 Apr 2003 11:08:41 -0800
To: dave@farber.net
Subject: SARS infected plane in SJ
Dave:
I'm sure you have probably heard there is a plane with
at least 4 possible SARS infections on the ground in San
Jose -- two crew, two passengers. CNN just reported the
4 patients will be taken for treatment, the other passengers
will be allowed to *leave* with a card asking them to
call if they get sick.
This is the worst possible course of action. Two crew
possibly infected means they may have all had interactions
with many passengers (drinks, meals, etc.). Allowing
the other passengers to just leave will likely result
in them becoming ill, after infecting many other people
during the incubation period.
ARRRGHHHH
Comment
WRITING: Just finished a story, my first, for the Online Journalism Review. Not going to say more until I ship it off and hear back from them, but I'm proud of the reporting.
COOKING: Dinner last night
Fajitas--Mexican-spice marinated chicken, peppers, onions with clilantro and salsa verde
Chili and corn tortillas
Raspberries
. All the snickerdoodles are gone. :-(
Comment
COOKING: Dinner last night
Fajitas--Mexican-spice marinated chicken, peppers, onions with clilantro and salsa verde
Chili and corn tortillas
Raspberries
. All the snickerdoodles are gone. :-(
Comment
Tuesday, April 01, 2003
Blogging: The Newbie Version
I started blogging March 19th--that's almost two weeks ago. At the time I wondered if I would be able to keep it up, what I would write about, and if my blog would suffer because it didn't focus on one subject, such as media and content, cooking, or internet marketing.
I think the toughest thing about the blog right now is that the formatting looks ragged; it's not as nice and easy to read as some blogs, which is something I need to work on.
I'd also like advice on how to make more people aware of the blog, besides friends, and feedback on what's working for readers.
Thanks.
Comment
I started blogging March 19th--that's almost two weeks ago. At the time I wondered if I would be able to keep it up, what I would write about, and if my blog would suffer because it didn't focus on one subject, such as media and content, cooking, or internet marketing.
I think the toughest thing about the blog right now is that the formatting looks ragged; it's not as nice and easy to read as some blogs, which is something I need to work on.
I'd also like advice on how to make more people aware of the blog, besides friends, and feedback on what's working for readers.
Thanks.
Comment
Today's News: April Fool
Madonna pulls her new video out of respect for troops fighting in Iraq; album drops April 22nd.
Geraldo says he's further inside Iraq than before, and no one is kicking him out, so there.
eBay is no longer letting AOL sell ads on the eBay web site; WSJ speculates this is a sign of a fraying relationship between the two companies.
More likely: now that eBay has an ad sales and partnership team in place, they don't need AOL as a middleman with advertising clients.
Hugh Grant tells Vanity Fair he wants marriage and kids. With Divine Brown?
Comment
Madonna pulls her new video out of respect for troops fighting in Iraq; album drops April 22nd.
Geraldo says he's further inside Iraq than before, and no one is kicking him out, so there.
eBay is no longer letting AOL sell ads on the eBay web site; WSJ speculates this is a sign of a fraying relationship between the two companies.
More likely: now that eBay has an ad sales and partnership team in place, they don't need AOL as a middleman with advertising clients.
Hugh Grant tells Vanity Fair he wants marriage and kids. With Divine Brown?
Comment
Monday, March 31, 2003
Madeleine Peyroux & Rachelle Garniez
Madeleine Peyroux
Two of the performers who caught my attention at the harmonica party on Sunday were not harmonica players. Both Madeleine Peyroux and Rachelle Garniez played some terrific music. I did a little web searching and discovered that Peyroux, whom I had not heard of before, has a strong cult following for her songs--thought she has only released one CD, Dreamland, there are 1,570 references to her on Google, many of them postings by fans.
Peyroux is playing 3 gigs in New York in the next 2 months, and I hope to go to at least one of them.
Rachelle Garniez
Accordionist and songwriter Rachelle Garniez is less well known than Peyroux, but she's definitely one to watch. She plays regularly at Terra Blues in NYC, and has released two CDs--Serenade City(1997) and
Crazy Blood(2001).
Comment
Madeleine Peyroux
Two of the performers who caught my attention at the harmonica party on Sunday were not harmonica players. Both Madeleine Peyroux and Rachelle Garniez played some terrific music. I did a little web searching and discovered that Peyroux, whom I had not heard of before, has a strong cult following for her songs--thought she has only released one CD, Dreamland, there are 1,570 references to her on Google, many of them postings by fans.
Peyroux is playing 3 gigs in New York in the next 2 months, and I hope to go to at least one of them.
Rachelle Garniez
Accordionist and songwriter Rachelle Garniez is less well known than Peyroux, but she's definitely one to watch. She plays regularly at Terra Blues in NYC, and has released two CDs--Serenade City(1997) and
Crazy Blood(2001).
Comment
AOL: Simon Dumenco says : SHARON STONE IS NOT GETTING LAIDI
If AOL's Running Man is the best Sharon Stone has ever had, does that mean she's not getting any, or that she'll say anything for money?
Dumenco's wickedly funny take on the new AOL television commercials is in the April 7-14 New York Magazine.
Comment
If AOL's Running Man is the best Sharon Stone has ever had, does that mean she's not getting any, or that she'll say anything for money?
Dumenco's wickedly funny take on the new AOL television commercials is in the April 7-14 New York Magazine.
Comment
HOW I SPENT MY SUNDAY 2--Roulette Performance: Notes on Desire
Our good friend Valeria Vasilevski directed a piece performed by Lynn Book and Kevin Norton called Notes on Desire that was performed at Roulette, an alternative performance space.
This was the kind of performance that was interesting and well done, on one hand, and on the other, a prime candidate for caricature on Mad TV or Saturday Night Live. We decided not to decide.
Afterwards, we had pho at Hoi An, a Vietnamese restaurant in Tribeca. This was the best Vietnamese food I have had since I came to New York--but still not as good as in San Jose.
Comment
Our good friend Valeria Vasilevski directed a piece performed by Lynn Book and Kevin Norton called Notes on Desire that was performed at Roulette, an alternative performance space.
This was the kind of performance that was interesting and well done, on one hand, and on the other, a prime candidate for caricature on Mad TV or Saturday Night Live. We decided not to decide.
Afterwards, we had pho at Hoi An, a Vietnamese restaurant in Tribeca. This was the best Vietnamese food I have had since I came to New York--but still not as good as in San Jose.
Comment
HOW I SPENT MY SUNDAY 1-- Harmonica Heaven: Hanging with the Brass Reedsters Tribe
Spencer Jarrett and Steve Freund blowing it out
Harp player and singer Robert Paparozzi spent two months pulling together a harmonica house party for serious players that took place in a midtown loft in New York this Sunday afternoon. Over sixty musicians, some from as far away as Columbus, Ohio, all with gear in town, showed up to hang out and play in what Paparozzi billed as a “gathering of the tribe.”
Since my honey is a harp player (the wonderful Spencer Jarrett), I was lucky enough to tag along and listen.
Hot players present
Cham-ber Huang, chromatic master
Howard Levy, contemporary composer for piano and mouth organ
William Galison , café jazz--Playing at Joe's Pub April,17th
Steve Guyger, Chicago blues style powerhouse
Rob Paparozzi , entertainer par excellence
Also--
Bernard “Pretty” Purdy, the world's most recorded drummer
Jon Paris, guitarist and NY club staple
Louis X. Erlanger, former Mink Deville guitarist and R.L. Burnside record producer
The blues harmonica world has always reminded me of the small press poetry scene--there's no money in it, and little mainstream glory, so the people who stay involved do it because they love the medium and the closeness of the world.
This gathering was true to form--fifty-something guys with graying ponytails toting cases of harps, younger players wearing significant hats (there is some important, as yet unexplained connection between harp players and their headgear), CDs spilled on the kitchen table, all for sale, people in corners comparing customized mikes, harmonicas, and cases, the few women present accompanying their musician guys.
The music was terrific.
Comment
Spencer Jarrett and Steve Freund blowing it out
Harp player and singer Robert Paparozzi spent two months pulling together a harmonica house party for serious players that took place in a midtown loft in New York this Sunday afternoon. Over sixty musicians, some from as far away as Columbus, Ohio, all with gear in town, showed up to hang out and play in what Paparozzi billed as a “gathering of the tribe.”
Since my honey is a harp player (the wonderful Spencer Jarrett), I was lucky enough to tag along and listen.
Hot players present
Cham-ber Huang, chromatic master
Howard Levy, contemporary composer for piano and mouth organ
William Galison , café jazz--Playing at Joe's Pub April,17th
Steve Guyger, Chicago blues style powerhouse
Rob Paparozzi , entertainer par excellence
Also--
Bernard “Pretty” Purdy, the world's most recorded drummer
Jon Paris, guitarist and NY club staple
Louis X. Erlanger, former Mink Deville guitarist and R.L. Burnside record producer
The blues harmonica world has always reminded me of the small press poetry scene--there's no money in it, and little mainstream glory, so the people who stay involved do it because they love the medium and the closeness of the world.
This gathering was true to form--fifty-something guys with graying ponytails toting cases of harps, younger players wearing significant hats (there is some important, as yet unexplained connection between harp players and their headgear), CDs spilled on the kitchen table, all for sale, people in corners comparing customized mikes, harmonicas, and cases, the few women present accompanying their musician guys.
The music was terrific.
Comment
WAR, WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? Monday morning notes
Why we're fighting: CNN's history of how we got into this war:
"Fuck Saddam. we're taking him out." Those were the words of President George W. Bush, who had poked his head into the office of National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.
It was March 2002, and Rice was meeting with three U.S. Senators, discussing how to deal with Iraq through the United Nations, or perhaps in a coalition with America's Middle East allies. Bush wasn't interested. He waved his hand dismissively, recalls a participant, and neatly summed up his Iraq policy in that short phrase.
Read the whole thing here.
A Christian's Duty--To Pray for President Bush
U.S. Soldiers in Iraq asked to pray for Bush
In Touch Ministries is distributing booklets to soldiers in Iraq which include a tear-out section to mail to the White House to show the soldier who sends it in is praying for Bush and his government.
Daily prayer suggestions:
"Pray that the President and his advisers will seek God and his wisdom daily and not rely on their own understanding"
"Pray that the President and his advisers will be strong and courageous to do what is right regardless of critics."
I can think of some other prayers as well.
MOTHER JONES WAR WATCH: Have you seen this? Quite different than CNN.com, and quite compelling.
(Thanks to Gratitious Sax and Senseless Violins for this one.)
WORDS OF WAR ((via Mother Jones)
The only effect (the bombing) has on the Iraqis is that it pisses them off, and they can't wait for the U.S. soldiers to arrive."
-- Peace Activist Doug Johnson, in an email from Baghdad
Comment
Why we're fighting: CNN's history of how we got into this war:
"Fuck Saddam. we're taking him out." Those were the words of President George W. Bush, who had poked his head into the office of National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.
It was March 2002, and Rice was meeting with three U.S. Senators, discussing how to deal with Iraq through the United Nations, or perhaps in a coalition with America's Middle East allies. Bush wasn't interested. He waved his hand dismissively, recalls a participant, and neatly summed up his Iraq policy in that short phrase.
Read the whole thing here.
A Christian's Duty--To Pray for President Bush
U.S. Soldiers in Iraq asked to pray for Bush
In Touch Ministries is distributing booklets to soldiers in Iraq which include a tear-out section to mail to the White House to show the soldier who sends it in is praying for Bush and his government.
Daily prayer suggestions:
"Pray that the President and his advisers will seek God and his wisdom daily and not rely on their own understanding"
"Pray that the President and his advisers will be strong and courageous to do what is right regardless of critics."
I can think of some other prayers as well.
MOTHER JONES WAR WATCH: Have you seen this? Quite different than CNN.com, and quite compelling.
(Thanks to Gratitious Sax and Senseless Violins for this one.)
WORDS OF WAR ((via Mother Jones)
The only effect (the bombing) has on the Iraqis is that it pisses them off, and they can't wait for the U.S. soldiers to arrive."
-- Peace Activist Doug Johnson, in an email from Baghdad
Comment
Sunday, March 30, 2003
PATHFINDER LIVES, KINDA
Paul Frankenstein recalls the 1996 Pathfinder era at Time, Inc, and notices that the Pathfinder URL actually has links to the Time Inc. web sites, including Progressive Farmer.
What Frankenstein doesn't mention is that this is the week when many of the most popular Time Inc web sites become available only within the AOL browser environment, for AOL subscribers.
When I was back in Silicon Valley about a month ago, I stopped at Recycled Books and bought myself a library of dot com era classics, all of which had been dumped at the bookstore by unemployed techies. Hyperwars: 11 Essential Strategies for Survival and Profit in the Era of Online Business by Bruce Judson was one on the books. Published in 1999, the opening chapter recalls the days when Bruce Judson was "one of the early Internet pioneers...working as the leader of the team that created one of the first large-scale Internet sites."
Just as Judson's book seems irrelevant in today's climate, I wonder to whether the Time Inc web sites are also irrelevant. Will anyone notice or care that they can't read People.com on the web anymore?
Comment
Paul Frankenstein recalls the 1996 Pathfinder era at Time, Inc, and notices that the Pathfinder URL actually has links to the Time Inc. web sites, including Progressive Farmer.
What Frankenstein doesn't mention is that this is the week when many of the most popular Time Inc web sites become available only within the AOL browser environment, for AOL subscribers.
When I was back in Silicon Valley about a month ago, I stopped at Recycled Books and bought myself a library of dot com era classics, all of which had been dumped at the bookstore by unemployed techies. Hyperwars: 11 Essential Strategies for Survival and Profit in the Era of Online Business by Bruce Judson was one on the books. Published in 1999, the opening chapter recalls the days when Bruce Judson was "one of the early Internet pioneers...working as the leader of the team that created one of the first large-scale Internet sites."
Just as Judson's book seems irrelevant in today's climate, I wonder to whether the Time Inc web sites are also irrelevant. Will anyone notice or care that they can't read People.com on the web anymore?
Comment
Sunday: Day of rest
Heading out to Roulette tonight to see a performance by Kathleen Supove, Valeria Vasileska and other friends.
Comment
Heading out to Roulette tonight to see a performance by Kathleen Supove, Valeria Vasileska and other friends.
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