Opinions & Editorials
The Word of the Day for December 2 is:
turbid \TER-bid\ (adjective)
- : thick or opaque with or as if with roiled sediment
- : characterized by or producing obscurity (as of mind or emotions) : confused, muddled*
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According to one reviewer, Chauncey's first book was "the turbid and rambling product of an unclear mind."
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"Turbid" and "turgid" (which means "swollen, distended"
or "overblown, pompous, or bombastic") are two words so
frequently mistaken for one another that they could have been
invented to keep dictionary makers in business. Not only do
these two words differ by only a letter, but, adding to the
confusion, they are often used in contexts where either word
might fit. For example, a flooded stream is often both
distended and muddy, and badly written prose is often both
obscure and grandiloquent. Nevertheless, the distinction between
these two words, however fine, is an important one for conveying
exact shades of meaning, so it's a good idea to keep them straight.
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- Written by: Staff
- Parent Category: Opinions & Editorials
- Category: Deep Thoughts
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So I was enjoying Sunday
brunch this morning at a semi-local diner restaurant. Next to me at the
counter were two twenty-somethings talking about electronic music,
dropping names of effects, software and hardware that I'm relatively
familiar with. My curiosity was peaked and I felt compelled to ask them
what they're doing with all this gear. From the conversation I heard,
they seemed quite knowledgable about all the features and functions
inside and out. When faced with this question, their answer was simply
"house music." This made me sad, I didn't tell them this directly, but
it reminds me of my days working for an ISP doing tech support. When
the brand-spanking new all-powerful Macintosh G4 came out, the
possibilities were seemingly endless. I was always curious to know what
people were doing with such an expensive and powerful hunk of machinery
the government wouldn't even let out of the country. Much to my dismay
most of the customers were just rich people who love blowing their cash
on useless things - "we're using it at the home for our spreadsheets
and to browse the web." This is the time of year for giving and
receiving, so with this in mind, be sure that if you've been good and
get some wonderful gear (you can treat yourself, too, you know) USE IT!
Scientists say that humans only use a small percent of their brain,
don't do this with your gear.
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There's a tradition this
time of year for those of us in colder climates that I'd love to share.
Gather a small group of some close friends (who happen to be music
fans) and prepare a night of music listening while sipping some tasty
hot mulled cider.
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
- 1 Gallon of Fresh Apple Cider (not that alcoholic processed garbage, but the real stuff you can find in your grocer's refridgerator)
- Cloves
- Cranberries
- 2 Oranges
- Orange Juice
- Cinnamon Sticks
- Ground Cinnamon
- Ground Nutmeg
- Brandy (Ginger Brandy recommended but not necessary)
- Dump approximately 1/2 gallon of cider in a
large pot, slice up two oranges and add them with a handful of
cranberries. Add only a small splash of orange juice. Add some cloves
but don't go overboard. Add the ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg to
your desire and let sit on a low heat for at least a half-hour. When
the oranges have sunk and look pretty drunk and the cranberries have
gone soft, it's time to enjoy! Ladel the cider into some thick mugs,
add the brandy and a cinnamon stick. Wander out to the livingroom and
gather around the stereophonic hi-fi for an evening of socializing
around some of the finest selections to suit your evening.
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In the US Presidential
election the winner is going to be either Al Gore or George
W. Bush. This is understood, but this is why we're encouraging a Nader
vote: If Nader gets 5% of the vote, the Green Party will get Federal
Matching funds in the next election. This means that we can indeed live
in hope for a more truly democratic future. Currently, Nader's only on
the ballot for 44 states. Mathematically he could win, but more than
likely he will not.
The most important vote however on Election Day is never the president. Your local and state politics are most important since they will effect you the most. Pay attention to ballot questions because it's your chance to say what you think is right for your state. Read the questions carefully and keep in mind that while tax cuts look good on paper, they might be cutting into education or other necessary funding. Pay attention to who's supporting which question and ask yourself who's causes would you rather support,... Whatever you do, get out there and vote.
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On Tuesday this past
week, "Rekyavik Rocks" appeared on the cover of the New York Times.
Open to the Arts section and there was a large feature on the Icelandic
music scene, with lots of attention paid to Sigur Ros. I'm pleased to
see this, truly, as video outlets like MTV, VH-1, coupled with the
commercial radio outlets (mainly those posing as alternative) are
absent minded when it comes to fresh, exciting movements in new music.
It's nice that the New York Times will feature something like this, as these budding scenes should not go unrecognized. Reading further through the article, I'm somewhat disturbed when I find my former boss, Leigh Lust quoted. Lust was my boss at Capitol in A&R, now he works for Elektra in A&R, and he still doesn't get it. The man's a great man, but he talks about how the Icelandic bands should collaborate with English writers so their songs can be done in English, thus making them more commercially viable abroad. Is he that much of a buffoon to think that the people of Iceland don't already know English and choose to sing in Icelandic?
Hearing somebody sing in their native tongue and reading along with translated lyrics in a booklet is like watching a foreign film with subtitles while having the songs re-done in English is like watching a foreign film dubbed. A person like Lust has been so involved inside the music biz for so long, that it seems he's forgotten what art means. Score 1 for the NY Times, 0 for the major-label music industry.
It's nice that the New York Times will feature something like this, as these budding scenes should not go unrecognized. Reading further through the article, I'm somewhat disturbed when I find my former boss, Leigh Lust quoted. Lust was my boss at Capitol in A&R, now he works for Elektra in A&R, and he still doesn't get it. The man's a great man, but he talks about how the Icelandic bands should collaborate with English writers so their songs can be done in English, thus making them more commercially viable abroad. Is he that much of a buffoon to think that the people of Iceland don't already know English and choose to sing in Icelandic?
Hearing somebody sing in their native tongue and reading along with translated lyrics in a booklet is like watching a foreign film with subtitles while having the songs re-done in English is like watching a foreign film dubbed. A person like Lust has been so involved inside the music biz for so long, that it seems he's forgotten what art means. Score 1 for the NY Times, 0 for the major-label music industry.
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