Noj

I don't live in a utopian world either, but I tend to think of politics as secondary to my appreciation of the audio arts. The politics have to be specifically expressed in a way that offends me in order to get in the way of my appreciation of music. For example, there are some lyrics which offend me, particularly in rap music. Lyrics that infuriate me--and it's actually that I'm mad that they "wasted the beat" with some idiotic opinion. Otherwise, if we're talking about jazz expressing the anger of racial strife, then I find myself a sympathizer, in which case I'm totally along for the ride. If we're talking about blues expressing similar grief, I'm following along. Maybe others will opine that I don't have the right to, but I have people I love of every color. I have lived the majority of my life loving those people. I am not a typical white racist, and I'll be damned if I let the established opinions tell me that's the way I have to listen or that I have no right to sympathize. Fuck that. I will not bow to racism's attempt to re-affirm itself and tell me how to listen. If I did, then there would just be this endless cycle of racism and reverse racism. And it's not that I'm saying I can totally understand what oppressed people have had to deal with. But I can sympathize. And the music moves me to the very core of my empathic feelings. I can only feel so much, and the depth of it is limited to my experience. But I will NOT be dictated how I must interpret the music by racism. To me there's one life, one love, one people, and I view it all from a global perspective. I am not limited to my genetic ancestors, and I am more sympathetic toward the immediate social connections I have which are of every imaginable culture. I will NOT be told how to listen. Not by Amiri Baraka. Not by anyone.

That makes sense. My agenda is to hear sounds I like to hear, and I don't interrupt the enjoyment with politics or racism or any of that crap others clog their ears with.

It sounds to me like Baraka has agenda'd himself right out of enjoying music for how it sounds. Better him than me.

I used to drink Coca-Cola every single day. I stopped liking the sugar-coating it left in my mouth, so I stopped. Now I only drink it on the rare occasion that I have a mixed drink like a rum & coke or if it's the only thing to drink. Even then I have a difficult time finishing it. I prefer iced tea. I actually quit smoking cigarettes about 13 years ago for the same reason--I hated the aftertaste (and smelling like it). I replaced that addiction with marijuana, but I stopped enjoying that about 6 years ago. The latest ones are coffee and beer. I'm on my second round with coffee. I really enjoy it in the morning, but I recognize the caffeine buzz for what it is now, and I'm starting to dislike the stained teeth and aftertaste. Beer...well, I'm finally getting fat after years of never having to worry about my weight. All good things must come to an end. Too much of even a good thing is bad. Moderating any of these things proves difficult for me, and I just quit them cold turkey.

Thanks Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz(dick)zzzzzzzzzz!

I hope couw is doing well. catesta too. Both great guys.

Thanks again everybody! The realization of how quickly life is actually going by makes the accomplishments of the prolific artists we love here that much more impressive. It also makes the people I know who are "old" in terms of years seem that much younger, since I know it's been flying by for them too. They weren't kidding when they said 'life is short.' I'm grateful and humbled to have had such a great life so far. Grooving to Bennie Maupin's "Quasar" from Slow Traffic To The Right as I type.

Thanks guys!

Soleil and I are the same age, and she went to my elementary school for a few weeks during the height of her sitcom fame. I was assigned to help her get her books, and was deeply smitten.

What I see those who own the music doing is they want to make it so everyone can access the music but not fully control it. So these "cloud drives" are being made as they say with a disingenuously friendly smile, "we'll hold onto it for you!" I don't trust 'em. They'll find a way to make you pay for it again. When Pandora first came out, I tried to give it obscure stuff to play and sure enough, the program pretty much knew everything. For the first time I grudgingly thought maybe my collection had lost a little value. The moment a commercial came onto Pandora, my collection's entire value returned. They can stick their commercials where the sun don't shine.

:party:

I like the object. Professional quality audio and professionally printed artwork and photographs and graphic design. Although I download, it's CDs and LPs or it's like I don't really have it.

Jaws!

I find this most irksome. Two people whose knowledge I hold in the highest regard, exchanging verbal jousts... Then again, it's awesome to see such knowledge put to the test. My most heartfelt respects to both Chris and Jim--no matter the disagreement, you two are a big part of why the org board is such a consistently great read. I don't care either way about Quincy, lol.

One thing the over-singers have in common: they have crappy songs. Most of these so-called R&B acts have no songwriting talent whatsoever. Then someone like Adele comes along, and she DOES actually create quality songs, so she blows them all away. I've never heard a single enjoyable original song from Alicia Keys, Mariah, that god-awful Mary J. Blige, Rihanna...there's too many to list. Others like Erykah Badu and Jill Scott quite clearly have some talent in that regard, but I don't hear it from most of these gals so their appeal is a complete mystery to me. There seems to be a whole subgenre of R&B for that Mariah-type brand of substance-free vocal wanking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ralh_HdXLj4 Regardless of whatever, I love this.

It seems to me that popular music misses the original MTV, which seemed to draw from all the various genres and bring them together under the umbrella of music video. The songs all seemed to be catchy, by whatever process they managed to become hits on that channel. Now the genres are all strictly separated by radio station. The listeners can immerse themselves in a single style with zero deviation. In doing so there's a tendency to be more tolerant of lesser songs within the genre. When one diversifies, one can be more choosy. There's less putting up with filler when there's more hits to choose from. Listeners can spend all their time listening to the all the hits from years past on classic rock stations, without bothering to learn new songs. If a listener has the thirst for new music, they must find it themselves (or listen to the rare radio station like KCRW which actually has DJs who still play the role of selector).

Suddenly, a wild B-3er appears.

Out here it's "tough titties."

I've never been a fan, but I know an amazing singing voice when I hear it. It's a shame she didn't have a really prolific production team behind her to keep her busy making hits instead of busy ruining her health. Pills and booze can so easily be a deadly combination. There's only so much a human filtration system can handle. I agree with aloc to a point--she probably had enablers who didn't have her best interests in mind. Then again, celebs often won't take advice and dictate who surrounds them... RIP, Whitney.

She's been the book/AV lady since I went there, Dave.

Thanks Tom, I really appreciate it. I'm sure my Mom will follow through in an appropriate and intelligent way, I just want to be sure I'm armed with some solid information when it's being discussed.

For more than a year, my Mom has been battling a cough. Doctors have made educated guesses and prescribed a number of antibiotics and various pills and asthma type medications, but the nagging cough just hasn't gone away. She's always been very healthy and active and it's really unusual for her to be sick at all. She works at a school, where she is in charge of all the books and all the audio visual equipment. As the school grew, they moved her from a regular classroom into a bungalow. This was several years ago. Just recently, an animal got into the crawl space under her bungalow and died. It's too small of a crawl space for a person to get into, so they had to just cover up the smell and stay away from the room until it decomposed. It was placed on a patch of grass, so animals are able to dig underneath it. They had a previous problem with families of possums and skunks, and usually were able to have Animal Control personnel trap and remove the pests. In investigating the dead animal, they have discovered mold growing in the walls of the bungalow. Lo and behold, all of the symptoms of her nagging cough match what is caused by household mold. My Uncle mentioned it might have even been illegal for the school to place the bungalow on grass/dirt, and that they're supposed to be placed on pavement. Now, we're not sue-happy people. We wouldn't go get some rotten ambulance chaser just to swindle money from the school system. My concern is that the powers-that-be are going to try to screw my Mom over somehow and not give her the compensation she might deserve. If they cut corners and put this bungalow on dirt despite that being against code, and it ends up shortening my Mom's life...I'm seriously worried. I guess my question here is this: what should be done to ensure the school does right by her? She's very near retirement. Can we trust them to properly investigate this?