T.D.

On the subject of Monteverdi, I've seen a 9-CD box set of the complete operas on Brilliant Classics. Looks interesting, but I don't yet know enough about the recordings to put it on any wish lists. I've seen two of the three operas live and really dig them. [Added] 4-CD Vespers set less than USD 10 used. Any other Monteverdi suggestions welcome...

I'm in such a minority as to be statistically insignificant, but... I live in a rural area without easy broadband (DSL is possible, but would have to go satellite, which I don't really trust, for more bandwidth), so am quite happy with the DVD-by-mail thing (Qwikster or whatever it's called). I actually downgraded my subscription a couple of months ago to cut out streaming and do DVDs only. I also dig the bonus material/commentaries on deluxe DVD editions. I agree that streaming/downloads will eventually dominate, but the poor minority w/o ready access to high bandwidth is gonna get screwed.

We could also solve the problem without all the algebra and symbols. Here's an approach: Start out with a blind guess of 55 rabbits and 50 chickens. Rabbits have 4 legs, and chickens 2, so the total # of legs is 55*4 + 50*2 = 320. That's 40 legs short of our required 360, so we need to switch some chickens to rabbits to gain 40 total legs. Now, for every chicken we switch to a rabbit we gain 2 legs (4 - 2). So to gain 40 legs we need to switch 40/2 = 20 chickens to rabbits. That gives an answer of 55+20=75 rabbits and 50-20=30 chickens. Check: 75*4 + 30*2 = 300+60 = 360. But if the kid's taking algebra in school, she's probably supposed to work through the system of 2 equations in 2 unknowns...

FWIW, here's the instrumentation for String Quartet and Orchestra: Soloinstruments/Soloists: violin; violin; viola; violoncello Instrumentation: 3 2 6 1 - 1 1 1 1 - perc, hp, cel, pno, str Instrumentation details: 1st piccolo; 2nd piccolo; 1st flute; 1st oboe; cor anglais; 1., 2., 3.th clarinet in Bb(5) (1st cl.+sop.sax(Bb);2nd+alto sax(Eb)); bass clarinet; 1st bassoon; 1st horn; 1st trumpet; 1st trombone; tuba; percussion; harp; celesta; piano; violin I; violin II Again, unusual and smaller than I associate with "orchestra." The only info I can find for Oboe and Orchestra is: Besetzung : 4 4 4 4 - 3 3 3 1 - Schl(3), Hf, Klav, Str, which I don't know how to decipher, but the forces seem larger than for the other two pieces, though still kind of "chamber orchestra."

Right! I wanted to post a pic of a famous baseball flake, and Jay Johnstone would've been even easier.

Dunno much about Ewell, but dig what I've heard (ok, only 3 CDs )...I have 2 of the 3 GTJ releases (not Man Here Plays Fine Piano), listen to Denver Concert (Storyville, a real high-energy event) most often.

This is thematic, but probably too easy...

Dean Chance! I googled Bo Belinsky, and ultimately came up with the Belinsky tribute boxing link. I was born in MN and remember Chance's big ('67) year with the Twins, but was too young to comprehend the Belinsky party stories...

Dame Gwyneth Jones Begin the Beguine Ain't Gwine Whistle Dixie (Any Mo)

I found the Atlantis instrumentation here. Atlantis by Morton Feldman (1926-1987). Mixed Ensemble, Contemporary Medium Ensemble. For Piccolo, 2 Flutes, Clarinet, Bass clarinet, Bassoon, Contrabassoon, Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba, Harp, Xylophone, Vibraphone, Piano, Cello, Double Bass. Modern. Score graph. Composed Composed: 1959. Published by Edition Peters (PE.P06906). ISBN M-3007-5176-4. Modern. Not really what I'd call "orchestral." "Chamber orchestra?"...

Slightly OT, but I read an article yesterday about Procter and Gamble (the "quintessential" middle-class US brand company). Because of the "disappearing US middle class" (the country is increasingly divided between wealthy and "have-nots"), P&G is moving away from "middle ground" and concentrating on high-end and low-end brands. While the move to light beer is highly significant, I expect the same thing is happening in beers. I figure "middle-class" brews are hurting, while craft/import (premium) and el-cheapo brands are more than holding their own. [i no longer drink alcohol, so can't speculate about particular brands.]

I got power back (in a mountainous area of the Catskills) Thursday around 5:30 PM, almost exactly 4 days outage. No phone yet (they bring in power crews from all over, but the local phone co. is overwhelmed). No damage to my house or immediate neighbors', but there's a lot of devastation, to say the least. All kinds of bridges down, roads closed. I'm very fortunate, considering all those who lost everything. I can travel "the long way", though the road's extremely rough in places and I'm not sure how it'd handle more heavy rain.

A good friend's elderly parents live about 50 miles east of there. Any word on how the Hudson Valley fared? The Hudson Valley made out pretty well - some local flooding, some power outages. Some areas in the Catskills got hit harder. The first film and photos I saw of the flooding in Margaretville scared the hell out of me. Margaretville's the nearest town to me (even though I live @ the West end of Ulster Co.). Have had no power, phone or water (well, requires elec.) since Sunday afternoon. Many bridges were washed out, today was the first day I could drive (over goat tracks that utility trucks can't drive, but the repair was much faster than what I feared) to what's left of local towns. Might get power back Sunday (can't even think about that until utility crews can traverse the roads)...The main road I use to get to town and the only way to work (power will be out @ work for similar time) has several bridges still washed out, and is impassable. So no work this week... There are lots of people (relatively speaking, for small-town areas) stranded (and I mean stranded) on remote washed-out roads. There's not good media coverage of rural areas (maybe NY Times'll run something), but I imagine large parts of Greene (e.g. Windham), Ulster (Phoenicia) and Delaware (M'ville, Fleischmanns) Counties got wiped out. Heard of one death in Fleischmanns. Supposedly, Gov. Cuomo was going to appear today somewhere "in the Catskills". Previous all-time worst flood here was in Jan. '96; this is definitely much worse.

Saw that when you originally posted it. I'm still hoping you're right. I'm surely hoping so. Unfortunately, the computer model forecasts seem to be converging on a path almost directly over NYC. After that, granted, somewhat NE of the Hudson Valley. However, the forecast for my area has greatly deteriorated: more rain predicted (already was excessive) along with higher winds...

I recently re-read the book (after mentioning it above). It's overall very good, and a pretty quick read, so not really essential to pick out highlights. FWIW, if I arbitrarily divide the chapters/essays into three categories (autobiographical, composing-oriented, art-oriented {Feldman being rather an expert on painting}), I prefer the autobiographical material, though the other stuff ain't chopped liver...Off the top of my head, I particularly liked the title piece and "I Met Heine on the Rue Furstemberg" (that's how it's spelled in my edition). Many nice anecdotes about growing up in NYC, John Cage, the "New York School" (art and music), etc. I once read somewhere that Feldman was "one of the most Jewish of composers", and never really understood from his music, but certain essays cast some light on that issue.

I think TWC always oversensationalises things, and find the channel almost unwatchable. OTOH, anything that impinges on media capital NYC is gonna get hyped to death. But I don't think, at least in NYS, that this storm is being taken lightly. There have been all kinds of emergency declarations (the Ulster Co. one I cited above is from a county bordering the Hudson Valley, 60+ miles North of NYC), and I've heard of numerous mandatory evacuations in sections of NYC and Long Island. Probably (such is human nature), people are under-prepared for long power outages, though.

The Barber of Seville Sal "The Barber" Maglie Sweeney Todd

Another 6-hour model update (they come out at 8AM, 2PM, 8PM, 2AM), and (from the standpoint of a NY resident) the computer models have just as much spread as they did this morning. [Added] Tom 1960 [We live in the same county, Tom at the East end and myself at the far West], FYI the Ulster Co. Executive just declared a State of Emergency: COUNTY EXECUTIVE HEIN DECLARES A STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR ULSTER COUNTY IN ORDER TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY ACTIONS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF COUNTY RESIDENTS Kingston, NY – Ulster County Executive Mike Hein declared a state of emergency in Ulster County in preparation for the potential impact of Hurricane Irene, which may hit New York State this coming weekend. A state of emergency is issued under Article 2B of New York State Executive Law. At the County Executive’s direction, county departments are planning cooperative response efforts to take all necessary actions to sure the safety of county residents. The state government is communicating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service to discuss the potential tracks of the storm. The County Emergency Management Office is monitoring all such communications...

I'd never watch TV coverage for the reasons you mention (and I don't watch TV). There's some pretty objective and balanced coverage on the Internet, for instance Dr. Jeff Masters's blog.. And you can find out a lot by navigating the National Weather Service / NOAA sites.

That looks promising! I've always liked Aperghis.

The passage ...the driver of a Greyhound bus carrying the freight alerted the fire department he had lost a part of his load... is pretty funny. The Reuters columnist must have gotten some high fives.

The boffins still don't seem to have a great handle on where it's headed. Forecast for my area (Catskill Mtns, NY), slightly inland and West of the worst, is for total of 7-10" of rain, winds up to 60mph. It's been a really wet last month (year, decade...) and that much rain'll be a big problem. I fear it'll be real bad for NJ and metro NYC area. Don't want to get any more alarmist yet... I don't expect the forecasts to really "converge" until Irene touches down in NC Outer Banks.

Apu (Nahasapeemapetilon) Freddy Adu Abou Ben Adhem

Pierre Pagé Québec Nordiques Nanook of the North

Seymour Butz (author of Under the Bleachers*) Claude Balz (author of Revenge of the Tiger*) Hu Flung Pu (author of Stains on the Wall*) *ancient schoolboy jokes