Memphis Industries has released a free compilation album called It Came From Memphis via Emusic. I haven't heard of most of the artists, but the ones I've heard of are quite good. For the chance to discover interesting new music, I think it's well worth the time.
Tubeway Army: Replicas
In August 1996, my mother and I arrived in Austin, Texas in a U-Haul van. Stuck in gridlock on the southbound I-35 in the humid afternoon, my bladder on the verge of bursting, I didn't notice that we had just passed ABCD's, the store where I would spend many paychecks over the next few months.
I turned 19 a few days after we arrived. My mother, knowing little about me except that I was fanatical about music, gave me $100 to spend on CDs. The only good record store I knew was ABCD's, having purchased most of the Kraftwerk and Sisters of Mercy albums there while visiting Austin earlier in the year.
We went together. My mother would occasionally feign interest in what I was listening to, but would always dismiss my taste as too weird to learn anything about. We left the store with some music by Devo, Download, Alien Sex Fiend, black tape for a blue girl, and some others I don't remember. The album that left the greatest impression on me was Replicas, the sophmore album by Gary Numan's band, Tubeway Army.
Released in 1979, the same year as their debut, Replicas represented a pivotal departure from the generic punk sound of the demos that caught the attention of Beggars Banquet. Adapted from an unfinished sci-fi novel that Numan wrote in high school, Replicas used synthesizers to complement traditional rock instruments and create a futuristic, surreal new wave sound. The album told a story of robotic sexual companions and sadistic politicians that was, not coincidentally, reminiscent of the short stories of Numan's idol, Philip K. Dick. Replicas used the not-too-distant future as a setting for its themes of alienation and individuality. Ironically, though these themes formed the foundations of punk, the British music press mocked Numan for being flamboyant and odd compared to his peers.
These are the very qualities that got me hooked on Replicas. Though Numan chastized his contemporaries in punk for becoming soulless conformists, he expressed how I felt about American twenty-something gay men, or most of the ones I had ever known, anyway. In "Machman", Numan points a finger at those that would laugh at him for being different and accuses them of being instruments of oppression - the very "rape machines" described in "Down in the Park". The title track bemoans the institutionalized hostility towards individuality that was just as active in the punk scene of his time as it had been in the British school system when Numan first imagined the story.
I related his disillusionment to my own coming-out experiences. I tried to break free from society's insane notions of masculinity - only to find that the gay community's notions were even less realistic. Numan would certainly have recognized the masses of Abercrombie & Fitch clones that infested Roscoe's on a Saturday night as the same "machmen" he described.
In a way, Replicas accomplished what most science writers try to do but fail. Its fantastical story is rooted in themes that were relevant to its time - and are still relevant today. Without a coherent plotline or skillful character development, the album moves the listener as any Philip K. Dick story. For this reason more than any other, Replicas remains one of my favorite albums ten years later.
My interview seemed to go fairly well. The location seems an auspicious sign. It is run out of the home of the owner (temporarily), who lives right near the trail that Michael and I hike and just a couple of houses over from a camel named Nitro whom Michael likes to visit periodically. Their new office will be at an intersection that I am at all the time. I'm not resting all of my hopes on this job because there is just one opening. I have about as good a shot as anyone else they are interviewing, so I won't assume the worst either. I should hear something tomorrow.
Less than a week ago, I didn't even know what sudoku was. Now I'm addicted to it. I found a great free site with millions of puzzles. They will even send a free mobile version to your cell phone. I think the number of puzzles you get is limited, but it's free, so I'm not going to complain much.
Today's listening:
On a brighter note, I have an interview with the real estate appraisal company tomorrow morning. Wish me luck!
Today's listening:
That's the best way to describe my reaction to this article.
If you haven't been following the story, here's a quick recap. Two camp counselors, Clifton Bennett and Kyle Wheeler, repeatedly inserted foreign objects, including broomsticks and flashlights, between the buttocks of 18 boys at a leadership camp in Yavapai County, Arizona. The boys ranged from 11 to 14 years old. When the two camp counselors were arrested, they were each charged with 18 counts of aggravated assault and 18 of kidnapping. They confessed that they had perpetrated this heinous acts against the children.
Seems like an open-and-shut case, right?
Wrong. Bennett is the son of a Republican state Senator and wealthy businessman from Prescott.
Bennett, 18, and Wheeler, 19, have been offered a plea agreement in spite of their confessions. Prosecutors have agreed to drop all but one assault charge for Bennett and two for Wheeler if they plead guilty. Prosecuting attorney James Landis will recommend little or no jail time.
Landis offers several pathetic justifications for giving the young men slaps on the wrist. First, he says that the incidents were just part of a 'hazing'. Second, he says there was no sexual intent in their acts. The final and most appalling reason is that Bennett and Wheeler aren't gay.
Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk released a statement attempting to justify this insanity. However, even a cursory glance at the 51-page police report reveals that her statement grossly oversimplifies the crimes. She says that the acts weren't sexual assault because the boys were wearing clothes. She does not mention that Bennett and Wheeler threatened the boys with violence if they ever told anyone. Nor does she mention that Bennett and Wheeler had an accomplice, Ren McGee, who at times held the boys down while they assaulted them. McGee has not been charged.
Aside from the technicalities, the police report makes it clear that these children's lives have been shaken. Theirs is a long, treacherous road to recovery. Their sexual lives will always be affected by this experience. Some, with love and support, will transform their trauma into strength, but it will take many years. What does it matter whether they had clothes on or not... whether their attackers intended to derive sexual pleasure or just to terrorize them? These petty details mean nothing to the boys and their families. Has Polk considered the long-term effects the abuse will have on their well-being? Probably not. Would Polk think it was sexual assault if someone came up from behind, held her down, and "broomsticked" her over her pants? I bet she would.
Polk has failed miserably to fight for justice. She has done a terrible disservice to the victims and their families. She has missed the opportunity to ensure that Bennett, Wheeler, and McGee receive psychiatric evaluation and treatment. She has sent the message that violence against children, even sexual violence, is nothing more than a harmless prank. In other words, she failed to do her job. She has failed Yavapai County.
I hope they remember this the next time she is up for re-election.
I now have today's podcast posted:
I know, I know, I know! It's disturbing that I would stoop so low. However, despite this journalism major's appalling disregard for appropriate use of punctuation and his horrifyingly inept writing style, he has a point. Being a college senior does, in fact, peform fellatio on "donkey dick". I am just relieved that someone out there understands my daily struggle with senioritis.
Pitchfork is reporting that Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation is being honored by the Library of Congress (along with 49 other historically significant recordings) and inducted into its National Recording Registry.
Even more astonishingly, in my opinion, is that this year's registry includes Switched-On Bach by Walter/Wendy Carlos and that they list her as Wendy, rather than Walter (the name she still had at the time the album was released.)
I'm glad that the NRR hasn't been tainted by theocrats yet.
I just returned a call from a prospective employer. I am going to get a call sometime next week for an interview for a commercial appraisal company. Not the kind of work I'm looking for, but it would pay well enough that I could still afford grad school in the not-too-distant future. More about that later.
I am currently listening to New Order. They were one of the first bands that I ever became obsessed with. I'm thinking about writing a post about the best lesser known b-sides and album tracks from the Warsaw/Joy Division/New Order/Thick Pigeon/Electronic/Revenge/The Other Two/Monaco catalog. (Impressed that I named them chronologically?) On second thought, I haven't listened to any of it except certain New Order and Joy Division albums in many years. Perhaps I should start with a band whose work I remember more clearly.
Today's listening:
Thanks to DM from threedogheads for creating the new logo. I hope you all like the new look.
I was way more depressed than perhaps I should be when I read about the igloo shortage in the Arctic. I was beginning to get concerned that I was taking the news way harder than one could reasonably expect someone in my circumstances to take it. Maybe it's just because I'm an anthropology major, I thought, or maybe it's due to my medication.
In any case, I can't afford to be depressed today. I have an exam in less than three hours and I desperately need to study for it. I took a walk to the corner market and bought three candy bars, a huge bottle of water, and a blue book for the exam. Somehow I knew that CocoRosie would cheer me up on the way. I'm still rather unenthused about my day but at least I'm not obsessing about the well-being of Inuits I have never met.
My listening so far:
I fell asleep while studying for tomorrow's test. I still have a lot to read and not enough time to read it.
Today's listening:
Just read the Pitchfork interview.
My favorite parts:
"When I hear auto tune on somebody's voice, I don't take them seriously. Or you hear somebody like Alicia Keys, who I know is pretty good, and you'll hear a little bit of auto tune and you're like, 'You're too fucking good for that. Why would you let them do that to you? Don't you know what that means?' It's not an effect like people try to say, it's for people like Shania Twain who can't sing. Yet there they are, all over the radio, jizzing saccharine all over you. It's a horrible sound and it's like, 'Shania, spend an extra hour in the studio and you'll hit the note and it'll sound fine. Just work on it, it's not like making a burger!'"
"And if Celine Dion is supposedly the great singer that she says she is why is there auto tune on every fucking word in her songs? Can't you just hit it, Celine? Do you have another baby book to shoot? You gotta paint your baby to look like a pot of peas? What are you doing that you can't be singing in the studio? It's your fucking job!"
Gotta love Neko Case.
I created a Myspace page for the podcast the other day. It's a good sign that artists are adding me to their friends list rather than suing me.
Also, I am thinking about creating a logo for pale underweight that would be used for the blog, the Myspace page, and my webpage. I'm thinking that I would create a banner from my profile photo and add the words "pale underweight" in white lowercase text. Probably in different spots, with "underweight" much smaller. Or perhaps "pale" could be in lavender or light pink. Any ideas?
Here is today's listening:
Matthew Santos was just declared the winner of the election with 272 electoral votes.
Let's hope life imitates art in 2008.
... because a whole shitload of long-out-of-print Chris & Cosey albums and EPs are available for download at Emusic!!! My prayers have finally been answered!
The new podcast is here:
Sorry for the delay. Got it in just before midnight though!
Literally, without exaggeration or hyberbole, the President is mad. He thinks that he is on a mission from God to democratize (or more likely, theocratize) the world, even if he has to kill everyone to do it. If he is not removed from office, then I believe that he will start World War III. And it won't be pretty.
He will never resign if he is truly in the grips of a mental illness. Aside from that, two legal means exist for removing him from office. Amendment XXV is unlikely to be to be used, because Cheney has too much to gain financially from the current arrangement. The Cabinet secretaries don't seem to mind it too much, either.
The alternative, then, is impeachment (Article 1, Section 2 and Article 2, Section 4). The prospects for this seem bleak also.
All I can suggest is to vote Democrat in November and hope and pray that Bush doesn't drop any nukes on Iran before the new Democratic majority impeaches him in January.
(Thanks to Americablog for finding the New Yorker article.)
David at threedogheads has a new post up today that is so well-written and so true that I just have to link to it. Check it out.
Also, I can't think of anything I want to say right now.
Chromatophores! That's the word I have been trying to remember all day.
Now that I have finished my paper about metaphors in which alcoholism is a target domain, I have time to blog more about Michael.
Here are some reasons why I agree with my friend Jason's assessment that Michael is the best boyfriend I have ever had. (Warning: This is going to be sappy.)
♥ We both worship Margaret Cho.
♥ He understands why Homer Simpson is my hero.
♥ He doesn't jabber incessantly about other guys he would "do".
♥ He is a health nut and a neat freak, but doesn't seem to mind that I am not.
♥ He used the 'L' word at a time when I was thinking it, but was afraid to say it and scare him off.
♥ He adores my animals and they adore him.
♥ This is the first relationship I have had in which we have done volunteer work together.
♥ He thinks my clumsiness is cute.
♥ He has a sick sense of humor.
♥ He can quote Designing Women verbatim.
♥ He thinks Uma is fierce.
♥ He believes in monogamy.
♥ He initiates public displays of affection.
♥ He keeps my feet warm.
♥ He is unashamed of sentimentality.
♥ He is literate and employed.
♥ He looks fantastic in a tie.
♥ He knows which colors look best on me.
♥ And, then of course, the most important reason - I'm in love with him.
Christian Death: Catastrophe Ballet
I first heard about Christian Death from my first crush. When we first ended up on the same adult-jenior bowling league, this scrawny skater made little impression on me. But we gradually started to get to know one another and were soon friends. One summer he went away, and when he came back, he was Gothic!
I had never known a Goth before, and he suddenly intrigued me. Why was I so excited that he wore make-up and smoked cloves and talked about being depressed all the time?, I asked myself. The answer didn't occur to me until later.
He had told me about Christian Death but it took me a few months to get up the nerve to buy n album by a band with such an inflammatory name. I was sure as I was going to Hell as soon as I heard the version of "Spiritual Cramp" on The Iron Mask: "...Satan is by far the kindest beast..." I was a little put off but very curious. It started out slow, but my fascination took root.
I didn't acquire Catastrophe Ballet until I was seventeen. For a young gay man just coming out, this album provided a lot of subtle and overt references to homosexuality, which I desperately sought at the time. "...while the curious men with their curious smiles leave rejected in pairs, one by one, " Rozz sings on "Cervix Couch". It wasn't long before had played the album a hundred times, becoming a fan in the process.
Aside from the gloomy music, Christian Death had an irresistable mythos surrounding them. Rozz Williams started the band in the early 1980's, but the original line-up broke up after one album, Only Theatre of Pain. He then teamed up with Valor and Gitane Demone, then of Pompeii 99, to record Catastrophe Ballet, in my opinion the best work any of them would ever do. After Ashes, Rozz left the band with the understanding that Valor would no longer use the name. However, Valor broke his promise and not only began using the name Christian Death, but started taking credit for songs written by Rozz before Valor joined the band.
It seemed everyone had a story about Rozz. Did Shadow really lend Rozz her skull-buckle Italian leather boots in London? Did Scott really fuck Rozz in Frisco? Did Aviva really slam dope with him in Santa Monica? All of the speculations added to the mystique for me.
On April 1, 1998, I read the news online. I thought it was an April Fool's Day joke. Hadn't Groovie Mann from Thrill Kill Kult spread rumors of his own death the previous year? But alas, it was no joke. Rozz had hanged himself. I was saddened by the realization that I would never have a chance to see him live. I thought about the show he and Gitane had planned two years before in Mesa. It had been cancelled because they had been detained on drug charges. I was disappointed when my friends and I showed up, but we had no idea at the time that the show was cancelled forever.
I once loved Rozz because he made me sad; upon learning of his death, I hated him for the same reason.
I listened to Catastrophe Ballet today for the first time in I don't remember how long. For some reason, the songs made me smile. I guess that, knowing what I know now, I can finally remember Rozz and his legacy with gratitude.
Today Michael and I celebrate our sixth mensiversary (it's a word; Google it). Actually, we are celebrating it tomorrow night because I have a paper due tomorrow afternoon that I haven't started yet. For that reason, I don't have time to blog much about it right now. I have a lot to say about why I feel so fortunate that Michael is in my life, but alas, it will have to wait until I finish my paper.
Here is my listening for today:
April 11:
April 18:
April 25:
May 9:
All release dates collected from brainwashed and metacritic.
"'I refuse to allow liberal Democrats an opportunity to steal this seat with a negative personal campaign,' DeLay said in a video announcement Tuesday, a few hours after news broke of his decision [to resign]." - from CNN.com.
Translation: "I refuse to allow my Democratic challenger to win my seat by using my own statements and actions to demonstrate what a douchebag I am. Instead, I will just hand my seat over to the Democratic Party and allow my constituents to be represented my someone who isn't a douchebag."**
*Not intended to degrade pagans by any association with Tom DeLay.
**To be fair, I know nothing about Nick Lampson, so I can't promise that he won't be a douchebag. However, there is a 99.99% chance that he would be either a non-douchebag or much less of a douchebag than DeLay.
I have 38 days until graduation. I have been slacking this semester due to a terrible case of senioritis. As of right now, I have to get serious. No more leaving class early. No more ditching classes because I just don't feel like showing up. No more procrastinating until the night before the assignment is due.
Off to Prehispanic Civ now.
All eight episodes are now available via the RSS feed:
http://www.paleunderweight.com/files/rss_feed.xml
Friday morning a co-worker called in sick, confirming what we all had suspected - pinkeye. I briefly considered making an appointment with Dr. Hottie for that afternoon just in case. I decided to file it under "Wait and See" and enjoy the day. We were having a party for a student worker who was leaving us forever for a great new job. No time for fretting about viral conjunctivitis - this food wasn't going to eat itself.
On my way home on the bus, my right eye started stinging intermittently. Oh crap, I thought. I called Dr. Hottie's office on my cell. They could see me if I could get there before three. I was relieved. Even if I had pinkeye, I thought that I could start the antibiotic drops that afternoon and no longer be contageous by the next evening. I was not going to miss Cirque du Soleil for anything.
I stood on the scale, turning my head away. I didn't want to know how much weight I had gained.
"216," the nurse said. Apparently I had neglected to inform her of my plan - weight loss through denial.
I was half-asleep on the table when Dr. Hottie came in. He examined my eyes. No pinkeye. My irritation was due to allergies. Relief.
We discussed the side effects of my anxiety meds. I told him that sometimes it felt like there wasn't enough gravity. He switched me to Lexapro. He gave me months worth of samples. I was grateful to not have to pay for any prescriptions, as I am pretty much broke until graduation.
Later that evening, I hastily recorded the interstitial bits for my podcast. I set up my iPod to play the tracks and interstitials in the right order and began recording it with Polderbits. I laid down on the couch to watch the first few episodes of The Simpons, season seven, with commentary.
I woke up at about 2:30 with Sideshow Mel staring me in the face. I knew that my podcast was done recording, but editing would wait. I dragged myself into bed and went back to sleep.
In the morning, I edited the podcast and posted it to the web. I played WoW for an hour. I threw on some shorts and a t-shirt, wet down my Flock-of-Seagulls hair, hopped on my bicycle, and rode to Sonic for some lunch. Listened to the podcast on the way. The sun and breeze felt good on my legs. Came back, took Missy to the park. I steered clear of the couple with their four children. Missy loves getting attention from strangers and I didn't want to be there all day.
While I was getting ready to jump in the shower, Michael texts me. "What r u wearing?"
"Right now or at cirque?"
"At cirque, silly!"
"Nothing but a jockstrap!" I reply cheekily.
On the way to Cirque du Soleil, I decided to have a little April-Fool's fun with Michael. I managed to convince him that Jenny and I had gotten married five years ago so she could get on my medical insurance and that I hadn't told him until now because I didn't know whether he'd still want to be with me knowing I was married. He bought it completely. I couldn't keep up the charade for too long; it was getting harder to add outlandish details without laughing.
I called Jenny and left a message detailing my prank on her voice mail. She called back moments later to congratulate me.
"Tom Waits is coming next month!" she said.
"Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!" I replied. "When?! Where?! How much?!"
"April Fool's!"
I guess I had it coming.
Cirque was fabulous in so many ways. Michael and I talked about it for the entire trip back to his place. While he packed his overnight bag, we discussed our plans for the evening. We were both craving nachos, so we settled on Hamburger Mary's.
When we arrived, we were horrified to find that it wasn't Hamburger Mary's anymore. "What the fuck is Burger Betty's?!" I exclaimed. It was packed. Tim was sitting at a table by the door, collecting the cover charge. I improvised. "How about Pookie's?"
Michael had never been. It was just down the street. We arrived, surprised that even Pookie's had changed its name - to Miggie B's. Oh well. We were starving. Our host informed us that a former waiter just bought the place, hence the name change. Same menu, same people - just a new look and a new name.
We scarfed down the nachos so quickly that we weren't hungry anymore by the time the burgers arrived. We asked our waiter to box them up, I paid and left a handsome tip, and we left.
We rented Crash. Not the Cronenberg film. The new one - the one that beat Brokeback Mountain for Best Picture. Pretty good movie. Better than I was expecting. I still preferred Brokeback Mountain. We stayed up for a while watching TV with John.
This morning Michael went and got us coffee while I was still in bed. He left fairly early because he has a lot of crap to get done. Now I am blogging and procrastinating about getting on my bike.
I'm pretty pleased with the most recent podcast turned out. I thought I would hate the sound of my voice, but it doesn't sound as bad as I thought it would. Two things that I want to work on: a) sound quality and b) having more to say about the music. The prior should be easy enough; Polderbits has a few filters that I can play with and see if it will take away the clicking noise. The latter will be a bit more challenging. For now, however, I am mostly concerned with keeping it under 80 minutes.
The new podcast is now online:
...and, for the first time ever, commentary by me.
Tomorrow is going to be a very busy day for me. Since March 20th, I have listened to more than 600 tracks - a little over a day and a half worth of music. I have to pick out about fifteen tracks to include in the podcast. Then I have to record the interstitials and integrate the entire thing into a single, (hopefully) seamless audio file. I intend to keep the length the same - just long enough to take up an entire CD-R.
I also have work and temple tomorrow, so the remainder of my free time should be consumed by the podcast. It will be worth it, though, once I unveil the first podcast to feature my voice. Stay tuned.
This morning I perfected the synergetic use of the snooze button and the whore's bath.
Then I discussed Phil Spector's impending murder trial with a tech guy at work.
"Did you know he pointed a gun at Leonard Cohen while recording Death of a Ladies' Man?" I said.
"He actually fired at Lennon," Kirk replied.
"What could Leonard Cohen have possibly done to piss him off that much? He's a Zen Buddhist!"
Kirk grunted in agreement. I thought about David's hobby of quoting Smiths lyrics. "...and the pain was enough to make a shy, bald Buddhist reflect and plan a mass murder..."
The logical next step was to enjoy the best baklava of my life, courtesy of Andre, and listen to Slowdive's Souvlaki at the same time. So I did. Now I am blogging about whatever pops into my head until my next class. I don't feel like going, but I will because I have to write a short paper on the video that will be shown in class.
Today's aural delights:
Now that I am done mucking about in Teotihuacan and Wadi al Wasse, I can relax and get back to what really matters: World of Warcraft, CSI, and porn.
I have just added new links to several organizations whose work I admire greatly. Doctors Without Borders and War Child International help provide services to those affected by war, famine, and disease. The latter sells great music downloads found nowhere else to raise money to help children in war-torn regions. The Union for Reform Judaism and the Interfaith Alliance counter religious extremism with religious tolerance. And finally, HALO is an organization that is very close to my heart. I talk about them a lot, but it's necessary. Too many relatively healthy animals are euthanized in the valley before they have a chance to be found by a loving family. Give money, give time, adopt an animal - please do anything you can to help, even just a little.
How have I stimulated my temporal lobes today?
I have a pimple inside my nose. Right in the nostril. I hate it so much! Gah!
God bless the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Polari is the cryptolect in which gay men communicated with one another in 19th century England. The Sisters have translated the King James Bible into Polari, with a complete glossary.
P.S. I've been told that I'm quite bona to varda, with my lovely eke and my lovely riah.
I would like to take a moment to thank David, creator of Three Dog Heads, for his recent praise of this blog. It comes as a true compliment, and once you read his blog, you'll see why. In two days, I have become a fan of his work, his wit, his unabashedly truthful perspective, and his commitment to promoting literacy. You can certainly expect to see frequent references to his posts in the future.
The following albums have burrowed into my frontal lobe today, displacing all knowledge of Teotihuacan "thin orange" style pottery:
The next two days are going to be very busy. I have an exam in Prehispanic Civ of Mesoamerica and a paper due in Human Impacts on Ancient Environments on Wednesday. I haven't started writing or reading. I guess there won't be any TV or World of Warcraft for me for a couple days. Ugh.
Here is what I have heard so far today:
For the folllowing reasons, in order of ascending importance, I am postponing posting of today's regularly scheduled podcast until next weekend:
Many have complained that I don't talk in the podcast whatsoever. I made that choice because I hate the sound of my voice recorded and played back. To me it sounds like a cross between Fran Drescher and Paul Lynde. However, I am willing to give it a shot. After all, I have no problem talking on the phone so any resemblance to any celebrity, living or dead, is probably all in my head.
The time will come, perhaps in my lifetime, when children will only be able to read about glaciers in books or hear stories about them from great-grandparents. Our loss will be so vast that humankind has neither the breadth of mind to comprehend it nor the depth of heart to mourn it.
But beyond sentimentality, what value does a glacier have? I am not an expert in climatology or ecology, so I can't tell you anything about its role in the cycle of evapotranspiration or the habitat it provides for plants and animals. All I know is that glaciers contain a portion of Earth's memories. If they are lost, then so is part of our identity as the human race.
As glaciers grow, they trap air. The exact composition of the air at any particular time is recorded inside the glacier. In this way, glaciers are vast record books that tell us what the Earth's atmosphere was like in the past. When glaciers melt, however, these records are destroyed forever.
More importantly, glaciers are a part of human heritage and have helped define our sense of beauty. Though they were known only to the peoples nearest them for most of human history, increasing cross-cultural contact has made glaciers part of the consciousness of our species in general, just as it has with deserts, oceans, and forests. Something of their essence will be preserved in books and films, but these cannot do justice to glaciers like someone who has had direct experience with them - who has walked on and seen and touched them.
Unlike plant and animal species, glaciers can be counted directly. We have counted them and we know that they are disappearing much faster than anyone had anticipated. As tragic as their disappearance will be, it would be all the more tragic if we never got to experience them before they were gone.
A couple of interesting science stories today:
Evidence that humback whales use grammar. Next, these researchers will try to observe humpback whales participating in a grammar rodeo.
Researchers find a part of the brain that assists in computation. Also, thousands of mathematicians start calling in sick to work with dyscalculia.
I have activated the aforementioned part of my brain to present you with today's playlist:
Over the past few days, I have wasted hours trying to complete a quest in World of Warcraft. The quest involved exploring Frostmane Hold, a glacier cave inhabited by Frostmane Trolls of at least two varieties, and killing five Frostmane Headhunters in the process. The trolls in the cave seem to be limited to levels 7 and 8. Pretty easy for a level-9 gnome warrior with over 500 armor, right? Apparently not. My gnome, Jomdevert, would get only a few feet into the cave before he was swarmed by trolls and killed. Some of them can cast a spell that reduces armor significantly. Each time he was killed, he would report to an armorer to repair the damage. Repairs usually cost almost two silver. After about a dozen attempts, the requisite number of trolls had been killed, but I wondered if this quest could be completed alone at this level. I briefly considered a different strategy: killing local wildlife until level 10, reporting to the local warrior trainer to learn new tactics, and then trying again.
Last night, I had another idea. I decided to run as far as possible into the cave, then let Jomdevert get killed. Then I would have his ghost return to the cave and resurrect as far in as possible. Then he could just run like hell until the cave was sufficiently penetrated. It worked. Jomdevert survived just long enough to complete the final quest objective. Then he was killed again. Luckily, the non-player character he would need to find to receive the reward was standing only a few feet from the graveyard. At last the quest was complete.
Just as in life, death in WoW is generally something to be avoided. Unlike death in this world, however, death in WoW is reversible. Even the equipment durability penalties and resurrection sickness can be reversed with sufficient time and effort. Not dying has teleological value in WoW; longevity does not. In other words, dying once is better than dying twice. Successful solo play in WoW requires the foresight to know when a well-planned suicide will promote post-resurrection well-being. Moreover, it requires the ability to measure values of in-game phenomena in radically different ways than we use to evaluate real phenomena.
Here is what I have been listening to today:
I am waiting to get into the server to play my gnome warrior character in WoW. There are still more than 100 in queue. In meantime, here's what I have been listening to today:
I have revamped and simplified the webpage I set up solely to host my podcast. Now the comments form and the track listing for the most recent podcast are on the front page. Additionally, I have created the RSS feed. To subscribe, copy the following address and paste it into the appropriate field in iTunes or another service:
http://www.paleunderweight.com/files/rss_feed.xml
The new podcast is online:
Yesterday was the last official day of spring break and I got little accomplished. I am way behind on my reading for three out of four classes. I have two papers due in the next two weeks. I have an oral midterm in French on Tuesday. But I probably won't do anything school-related until Sunday night.
On a completely unrelated note, does anyone else find this news story a little disturbing?
Here is what I listened to on Friday:
That describes my reaction to this photo of a double helix nebula taken by the Spitzer Space Telescope:
Here is what I have been listening to today:
I have been reading a lot of stories lately about the risk of hearing loss associated with earbud-style headphones. As a rabid audiophile, I feel that the issue deserves immediate attention from consumer advocacy groups.
Imagine a product that often causes permanent injury to consumers. Imagine that the longer one uses it, the harder it becomes to use it safely. Imagine that most users start before the age of 18.
The example of cigarettes comes to mind. We now know the health risks. We know that nicotine is addicitive - some say more so than heroin. Studies have also shown that most people will never start smoking if they don't already by the age of 18.
Likewise, listening to headphones too loud for too long is harmful. Even at levels that feel comfortable, there may be damage occurring. I read recently (I forget where) that listening to an iPod at 60% volume is only safe for about half an hour! Additionally, the more impaired your hearing, the louder you will turn it up - and it is still doing damage. And a recent poll demonstrates that teenagers are the most susceptible.
Unlike tobacco, earbud headphones can be made much, much safer. Apple sells a different version of its standard earbuds that molds to the contours of the ear canal, blocking much of the outside noise that interferes with listening. Since purchasing a pair, I can listen to most music at about 40% volume on the bus and about 10% at home. It's a little more expensive than the standard pair, but well worth the additional cost if it will help preserve what remains of my hearing.
I propose a two-tiered solution: that a) Apple and other manufacturers of portable music players include noise-blocking headphones with their products, and b) these manufacturers reduce the volume scale by at least 30% (the iPod already allows you to manually reduce the playback volume on selected songs). If advocacy groups go after Apple, Creative, etc., with half the furvor that they have with the tobacco companies, I'm sure that these simple goals could be accomplished.
Consumer issues aside, we still have a personal responsibility to protect our own hearing as much as we can. If you love music, invest in noise-blocking headphones and reduce the volume. I wish I had - before I started to experience tinnitus and hearing loss.
On that note, here's what's on my iPod today:
"Dear diary,
"My warrior trainer Thran Khorman is a jerk. A real knee-biter.
"Immediately upon reaching level 4, I reported to him for warrior training. I was only a few copper short, but do you think he could look the other way or take an IOU? No! I had to go back out in the cold and kill Burly Rockjaw Troggs until I had enough money to learn how to charge. Talk about shrinkage! Thran didn't feel even a little guilty about leaving me with nothing either. I'm surprised that our little lesson didn't leave me with enough rage to do a heroic strike on his ass!
"I can't wait to get out of Coldridge Valley and start working with better trainers."
Someone asked me what I have been doing in WoW lately. To tell the truth, not much. Until last night, I hadn't played in almost a month because I had been very busy. I played my undead warlock for a while, but when I tried to get on the server this afternoon I was getting crazy error messages. So I created a gnome warrior on another server. Here is Jomdevert (can you guess where his name comes from?):
Today's listening:
The Caretaker has made two more albums available online - free! The first is A Stairway to the Stars, their sophmore full-length, and Additional Amnesiac Memories, the addendum to their recent 72-track epic Theoretically Pure Anterograde Amnesia (also a free download, which I blogged about previously).
This past weekend was refreshingly uneventful due to the start of spring break. Friday afternoon I found a Borders gift card lying on in the street near my house. I immediately wanted to find out how much it was worth and spend it, but I have this irritating goodie-two-shoes quality that required me to try to find its rightful owner. I didn't find it in a location that led me to believe it belonged to a neighbor, so I called Borders. Their customer service rep said that there was no way to return it to the purchaser because it was not registered to anyone. She also told me that it had $30 on it. So all I could do was spend it and try to live with myself. Luckily I have enlisted the counsel of Prince, who is currently advising me to party like it's 1999. It's the most sensible advice I've heard all day.
I quite enjoyed the rain on Saturday. Though all the joints in my right leg were sore, I had a pleasant time wrapped in a blanket on the couch, listening to the rain and watching the Discovery Channel. My roommate, John, suggested that my joints were sore because of the weather. I am way too young for that, so I disemboweled him and made a macramé potted plant holder out of his small intestine. Just kidding - it was a toaster cozy.
Tonight I will watch a documentary about comets on the History Channel and play World of Warcraft. Yes, I know I'm a nerd - no need to post it in the comments.
My listening today:
I am a technology slut. Though my computer is only a few feet away, i am blogging from my phone. Why? Because I can.
This week's podcast is now online:
UPDATE: NASA is reporting that the MRO has successfully completed the aerobraking maneuver, inserting itself in orbit around the planet.
I am keeping my fingers crossed for the MRO, which will attempt a tricky aerobraking maneuver in a little over an hour. If successful, it will return more data than all previous Mars missions combined.
Today's listening:
I wish I had been at Kurt Vonnegut's final paid speaking engagement at OSU.
Even more, I wish I could have heard Sandra Day O'Connor skewer the "religious right" and their attacks on the courts' Constitutionally-vested authority. Snap!
I am notorious among my friends, family, and coworkers for my bizarre dreams. I keep a dream journal online, which I update whenever I have a dream interesting enough to bother posting. I have posted my most recent bizarre dream, but I must first make a disclaimer - this dream is adult-oriented. Do not read at work!
Anyway, here it is.
I'm a sucker for astronomy photos. This image of Enceladus is a mosaic of photographs taken by Cassini.
Today's listening:
I am posting to declare my willingness, nay, determination, to bear the children of the Canadian alt-country chanteuse, Neko Case.
Until this morning, I had only heard Neko Case's voice on The New Pornographers' three exquisite albums. Now that I've heard her new album, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, I'm in love.
Just a few weeks ago, I was bowled over by Jenny Lewis' debut solo album, Rabbit Fur Coat. No offense to Jenny and Mlles. Watson (her back-up singers), but Neko has shown me the light. Chan Marshall, Nina Simone, Anneli Marian Drecker, Karen O, Lisa Gerrard, Liz Fraser, Annie Lennox, Alison Moyet - all are mere shadows of Neko's majesty.
But maybe I should get her other albums before I go too far overboard with my adoration.
On that note, what have I been listening to this week?
I have just received notice that HALO (Helping Animals Live On), the organization that runs no-kill animal shelters and adoption centers around the Phoenix area, will soon open a thrift store. If you wish to donate merchandise or volunteer, please contact Pamela Kleckner at PamHaloThrift@aol.com. If you don't, Sugarfoot will be sad!
My blogging has been somewhat sporadic and impersonal lately due to one very important factor: pure exhaustion. Trying to keep up with the demands of school, work, volunteer activities, social obligations, and (occasionally) temple, combined with the anticipation of my imminent graduation, takes a toll on my well-being. I'm not performing anywhere near 100% scholastically, but I'm still so tired that I'm falling asleep on the bus by Tuesday morning. It will all be worthwhile, but I just have to muddle through somehow in the meantime. Luckily, I will have all of spring break to catch up on sleep and school work. There will be much less work to do after after the break, so the worst is already over.
In other news, I had the fortune and privilege today of photographing a member of ASU's Secular Freethought Society:
I praise his moxie and hope that he isn't accosted by religious zealots (who are preaching just feet away from his table).
The new podcast is now available:
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I am alarmed the recent news that only 0.1% of Americans could name all five freedoms granted by Amendment I of the U.S. Constitution in a recent survey.
I was always raised to believe that the Constution is the United States. I think that not only should we revere it, we should memorize it verbatim and understand every Section and Article.
So here it is - the Amendment that so few know but so many disdain (emphasis added by me):
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
I haven't posted in a few days, largely due to becoming miserable ill this past weekend, then having to catch up on all the stuff I couldn't do while sick. Obviously, last week's podcast was cancelled. The podcast will resume as normal on Saturday, culling tracks from the previous two weeks' listening. I will soon post a list of what I've been listening to, plus some other recent developments.
For some reason, important science stories get less attention in the mainstream press than the latest American Idol developments. Hence I have decided to point out some recent science news stories that have come to my attention. This has been a very eventful week in terms of announcements that will potentially overturn our assumptions about the natural world. Here are some of these now (possibly) discredited assumptions, with links to their associated news items:
Here is what I've been listening to this week:
The new podcast is now available:
I noticed this on a co-worker's blog.
01. I miss somebody right now.02. I don't watch much TV these days.03. I love olives.04. I own lots of books.06. I wear glasses or contact lenses.07. I love to play video games.08. I've tried marijuana.09. I've watched porn movies.10. I have been in a threesome.11. I have been the psycho-ex in a past relationship.12. I believe honesty is usually the best policy.13. I love ice cream.14. I like and respect Al Sharpton.15. I curse sometimes.16. I have changed a lot mentally over the last year.17. I have a hobby. I just go to school for it.18. I've been told I have a nice smile.19. I carry my knife/razor everywhere with me.20. I'm partially TOTALLY smart.21. I've never broken someone's bones.22. I have a secret that I am ashamed to reveal.23. I hate the rain.24. I'm paranoid at times.25. I would get plastic surgery if it were 100% safe, free of cost, and scar-free.26. I need money right now.27. I love sushi.28. I talk really, really fast.29. I have fresh breath in the morning.30. I have long hair.31. I have lost money in Las Vegas.32. I have at least one brother and/or one sister.33. I was born in a country outside of the U.S.34. I shave my legs (females) or face (males) on a regular basis.35. I have a twin (or a triplet, or somesuch).36. I have worn fake hair/fingernails/eyelashes in the past.37. I couldn't survive without Caller I.D.38. I like the way that I look sometimes.39. I have lied to a good friend in the last 6 months.40. I know how to cornrow.41. I am usually pessimistic.42. I have a lot of mood swings.43. I think prostitution should be legalized.44. I think Britney Spears is pretty.45. Slept with a Suitemate.46. I have a hidden talent.47. I'm always hyper no matter how much sugar I have.48. I have a lot of friends.49. I am currently single.50. I have pecked someone of the same sex.51. I enjoy talking on the phone.52. I practically live in sweatpants or PJ pants.53. I love to shop.54. I would rather shop than eat.55. I would classify myself as ghetto.56. I'm bourgie and have worn a sweater tied around my shoulders.57. I'm obsessed with my Xanga or Livejournal.58. I don't hate anyone. I dislike them.59. I'm a pretty good dancer.60. I don't think Mike Tyson raped Desiree Washington.61. I'm completely embarrassed to be seen with my mother.62. I have a cell phone.63. I believe in God.64. I watch MTV on a daily basis.65. I have passed out drunk in the past 6 months.66. I love drama.67. I have never been in a real relationship before.68. I've rejected someone before.69. I currently have a crush/like someone.70. I have no idea what I want to do for the rest of my life.71. I want to have children in the future.72. I have changed a diaper before.73. I've called the cops on a friend before.74. I bite my nails.75. I am a member of the Tom Green fan club.76. I'm not allergic to anything.77. I have a lot to learn.78. I have been with someone at least 10 years older or younger.79. I plan on seeing Ice Cube's newest "Friday" movie.80. I am shy around the opposite sex.81. I'm online 24/7, even as an away message.82. I have at least 5 away messages saved.83. I have tried alcohol or drugs before.84. I have made a move on a friend's significant other or crush in the past.85. I own the "South Park" movie.86. I have avoided assignments at work school to be on Xanga or Livejournal.87. When I was a kid I played "the birds and the bees" with a neighbor or chum.88. I enjoy some country music.89. I would die for my best friends.90. I think that Pizza Hut has the best pizza.91. I watch soap operas whenever I can.92. I'm obsessive, anal retentive, and often a perfectionist.93. I have used my sexuality to advance my career.94. I love Michael Jackson, scandals and all.95. I know all the words to Slick Rick's "Children's Story".96. Halloween is awesome because you get free candy.97. I watch Spongebob Squarepants and I like it.98. I have dated a close friend's ex.99. I like surveys.100. I am happy at this moment.101. I'm obsessed with guys.102. I am bisexual.103. Democrat.104. Conservative Republican.105. I am punk rockish.106. I am preppy.107. I go for older guys/girls, not younger.108. I study for tests most of the time.109. I tie my shoelaces differently to anyone I've ever met.110. I can work on a car.111. I love my job.112. I am comfortable with who I am right now.113. I have more than just my ears pierced.114. I walk barefoot wherever I can.115. I have jumped off a bridge.116. I love sea turtles.117. I spend ridiculous amounts of money on makeup.118. I believe in prophetic dreams.119. I plan on achieving a major goal/dream.120. I am proficient on a musical instrument.121. I worked at McDonald's restaurant.122. I hate office jobs.123. I love sci-fi movies.124. I've never been in love.125. I think water rules.126. I am going to college out of state.127. I am adopted.128. I like sausage.129. I am a pyro.130. I love the Red Sox.131. I have thrown up from crying too much.132. I have been intentionally hurt by people that I loved.133. I love kisses.134. I fall for the worst people and have been hurt every time.135. I adore bright colors.136. I love Dear Abby.137. I can't live without black eyeliner.138. I think school is awesome.139. I think pigtails serve a purpose.140. I don't know why the hell I just did this stupid thing.141. I usually like covers better than originals.142. I don’t like multi-textured ice cream (ex. Chocolate chips, nuts, marshmallows).143. I think John Cusack is adorable.144. I fucking hate chain theme restaurants like Applebees and TGIFridays.145. I need to blog more.146. I have been repeatedly told by various strangers that I am a dead ringer for the same movie star.
On a note completely unrelated to the above, here is the past two days' listening:
As it turns out, "Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly" is a Ned Sublette song. It's still pretty odd that Willie would cover it.
The events of the past few days have made me begin to question whether the universe just took a temporo-spatial wrong turn a few days ago. Things aren't creepy or wrong or sinister, per se, just weird. Exhibit A: The VP shoots someone in the face. Exhibit B: Willie Nelson releases a cover of a Pansy Division song, "Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly (Fond of Each Other)".
Not that I object, mind you. I have a fondness for Pansy Division that stems from my adolescence, ever since I heard their cheeky re-write of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit", which they re-titled "Smells Like Queer Spirit". They have frequently managed to be funny and poignant simultaneously, and they have always been unapologetically out and proud. I think that they significantly influenced my own coming-out, inspiring me to never hide from anyone.
However, I still think that Willie's new single is evidence that I somehow woke up in a parallel universe sometime last week.
Everyone knows by now that our VP accidentally (we assume) shot someone in the face. Let me say, first, that I wish Mr. Whittington a speedy recovery. While I disapprove of his sinful Republican lifestyle, nobody deserves to get shot on the face. I can only pray that he will seek conversion therapy and begin to live a clean, morally upright liberal life. It's never too late, Harry!
As for Cheney, however, schadenfreude can only begin to describe how I feel. Luckily, I am not alone. Mr. Sun has some beautiful commentary on this matter. (Thanks to Grumpator for the tip.)
Today's rotation:
The new podcast is now available:
It has been a few days since I have posted. I've was very busy with schoolwork early this week. Then I got sick. It's the usual suspect: my sinuses. I've been using decongestant, Flonase left over from my last sinus difficulties, numbing throat spray, and Advil. A friend told me that he started irrigating his sinuses and gargling with salt water every night and he hasn't had a sinus infection or sinusitis since. I think I'll try it.
Unfortunately, due to illness, I didn't get credit for a lot of the school work I did. I thought about going to class yesterday (even though I called in sick to work) but I decided it wasn't worth making myself feel worse for 2% of the final grade.
I am starting to feel somewhat better. To be on the safe side, I won't go to temple tonight. I'm also not going to see the kitties tomorrow; they have enough of a problem with illness without me bringing my germs. I'll probably keep my hair appointment tomorrow though. I desperately need a haircut.
Michael is expecting a friend from Philadelphia tonight. The flight comes in pretty late and they are leaving for Flagstaff and Sedona first thing in the morning. This means we won't be doing our weekend routine, but I think it's good to have the occasional weekend apart. They'll be back early Sunday evening, so I'll get to see Michael and meet his friend soon enough. In the meantime, I'll read, rest, and of course, listen to lots of music.
I arrived home tonight to find two officers in the house. They had responded to the security alarm, which had begun to sound only minutes before. Burglars had broken two windows, moved the couch across the room, and left hastily without stealing anything. The best news is that Missy and Sugarfoot were unharmed. Missy seemed happy to have met some new people, without any suspicion of their sinister motives. I found Sugarfoot hiding under the bed, scared but safe. Minutes later, she was frolicking about the living room floor as though nothing had happened.
The new podcast is here:
Today I had my first meeting with a rabbi. It went really well. I think I'll go to services tomorrow night. Thay even have nosh right before services! You know I'm all over that. I have been noshing since long before I found out I was a Jew.
I think this is the first instance of the words 'teacup' and 'accident' occurring consecutively in an English-language sentence without a comma or semicolon between them.
More evidence for a 10th planet.
Today's listening:
