zero

lift

off

two

In just two days, tomorrow will be yesterday.
Anonymous

Let us read and let us dance - two amusements that will never do any harm to the world.
Voltaire

Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail.
Henry David Thoreau

There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.
Buddha

I've been to Canada, and I've always gotten the impression that I could take the country over in about two days.
Jon Stewart

When I turned two I was really anxious, because I'd doubled my age in a year. I thought, if this keeps up, by the time I'm six I'll be ninety.
Steven Wright

To do two things at once is to do neither.
Publilius Syrus

indigo

Adire African Textiles

airborne

what's cookin?

four

1) The New Pornographers-"Sing Me Spanish Techno"
This song has it all, smart music, clever lyrics and point of view, plus one of great hooks of all time--"listening too long---to one song, listening too long---" a perfectly realized pop masterpiece that predicts the it's own future--I am listening to one song, tooo long!

Great New Addictive Songs


---------------------
(might be fragment of the lyrics)

Traveling at Godspeed
over the hills and trails
I have refused my call
pushin' my lazy sails
into the blue flame
I want to crash here right now
the hourglass fills with sand
if only to punish you

For listening too long to one song
listening too long to one song
sing me Spanish techno

Six

BREAKDOWN: Six Million Dollar Man vs. Maj. Tony Nelson

KEXP 90.3 FM - where the music matters:

Playlist

5:32pm
Artist: Amadou & Mariam
Song: Artistiya
Album: Dimanche A Bamako
DJ Comments: Poised to stand as the year's biggest album by a pair of blind musicians from Mali

Music: Dimanche a Bamako

Daily Download: "In a Manner of Speaking," Nouvelle Vague

Regular readers will recall that I was pleasantly surprised, shocked even, to find that the Nouvelle Vague (bossa nova versions of new wave classics) record was not only not an execrable piece of gimmickry, but was even, gasp, really good. Their version of the Clash's "Guns of Brixton" is already available for free download, but I'm really delighted to offer an exclusive download of the best track on the record, a slow bossa nova take on Tuxedomoon's "In a Manner of Speaking." It's the singing, by Parisian artist Camille (a little more information about her here), that makes this track so exceptional, a slyly, meltingly phrased performance that is the vocal equivalent of a private striptease. SALON EXCLUSIVE Free Download: "In a Manner of Speaking"

salon.com

"two sips from the cup of human kindness and i'm shitfaced"

47 minutes 46 seconds of sonic euphoria - a Peanut Buster Parfait for the ears
the new pornographers official website

Glide Magazine: Twin Cinema

The New Pornographers: Twin Cinema: Pitchfork Review

What is KEXP?
Beginning as a tiny 10-watt station back in 1972, KEXP has grown over the years into an innovative, influential cultural force in the Seattle community and beyond.

KEXP is a public radio station dedicated to presenting both a creative mix of DJ selected music and relevant online technology.

KEXP programs an innovative, eclectic music mix you can’t find anywhere else. Rock, hip hop, electronic, country, blues, world and in-depth specialty programs.

KEXP is more than just a radio station. In addition to its eclectic music mix, KEXP has a goal to teach listeners more about the craft of making music, the history of popular music, and the musicians making today’s new sounds.


KEXP 90.3 FM - where the music matters

sharp as a grape today...

solo to sunrise

On my solo trek to the Sunrise side of Mt. Rainier, among other creatures, I did see Bigfoot:



3 plus miles at 6200 feet. Not bad. Discovered I could scribble in my notebook and hike at the same time (without tripping) (mostly). Take the most massive thing you can imagine and double it: that is what is feels like to be driving up the side of that mountain.

I had this song playing in my head (all the way to 11) during the hike (mostly just the "Comin' down the mountain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" part):

Mountain Song - Jane's Addiction

comin' down the mountain
one of many
children
everybody has
their own opinion
everybody has
their own
opinion
holding it back
hurts so bad
jumping out of my flesh
and
i said -
cash in!
cash in now honey
cash in now
cash in now
cash in now honey
cash in miss smith
cash in now!

i was
comin down the mountain
met a child she had pin eyes
we had the same
opinion
had the same opinion
she was holding it back
it hurts do bad
jumping out of her flesh
and i said -
cash in!
cash in now honey
cash in now
cash in now
cash in now honey
cash in miss smith
cash in now!

I bought a cheap cheap cheap digital camera - keychain size for $24.99. Curious to see what kind of pictures/image aesthetic I could come up with given such limited expectations. Holds 20 (352 x 288 size) pictures (less than 100k each). No viewer to look thru, just a pop up eye piece to kind-of aim the thing in the general direction of what I was looking at. Basically critic proof. "C'mon man! I took this with a f$%king keychain camera!"

Anyway, what follows are the results:



not bad, eh?

OK! I confess! I did not take the above picture. Here are the real ones:

"C'mon man! I took this with a f__kin keychain camera!"

(click for image in its full glory)

Wrote this without tripping...

sunrise

to the mountain
bees spin
dust rises
driftwood at 6000 feet
air cool
sun beats
marmot takes a step
on his hind legs
no water
finger roots
rocks spread like marbles
august wonderland trail
purple orange green blend
sunblock in my eye
petals on skin
boarded bridge stream
arouse the mountain
my feet on the earth
walking + writing
pine trees being
down the mountain
a woman's hips
such as it is

the hot swirl

These ones didn't come out very clear so I put the "hot swirl" effect (as my photo software calls it) on each. I should have just said these are ones that I sketched while hiking, eh?

(click for image in its full glory)

FUBAR WATCH: breaking the law

morning paper today:


Blast to destroy 230-foot smokestack

A 230-foot-high relic of Tacoma's dirty industrial age will be blown to smithereens today.

About noon, crews hired by American Construction Co. of Everett will blow up the smokestack on an abandoned property on Tacoma's Tideflats. That property, at 1501 Taylor Way, once was part of the Commencement Bay Superfund site.

The area immediately surrounding the property will be closed to the public during today's demolition, but American Construction spokesman Dan Dickey said good views can be had from Marine View Drive or the Murray Morgan Bridge, which carries 11th Street over the Thea Foss Waterway.
Blast to destroy 230-foot smokestack TheNewsTribune.com Tacoma, WA

Well, how often does one to get to see a huge smokestack blown to smithereens? "I am so there, " I thought. 11:59 am. I am running a bit late and trying to find good viewpoint out on the tideflats. Crossing the Puyallup River Bridge I spot the best view I could find at that moment. But where to park? Had to be quick since the thing could blow at any moment. 11th street in the tideflats sees about 1 car every five minutes.
And it's 2 lanes each direction so I do a U-Turn and just pull over after crossing back over the bridge. Blocking one lane. Do you see where this is going? 45 minutes later, after plunking every rock I could find into the river, the f@$king smokestack still hasn't blown. Back to the car, I meet a friendly neighborhood police officer. Does she read me the riot act? Yes. She asks if I would do such a thing on I-5? I say no but that this is not I-5. She asks how long I have been driving. I say a long time. She tells me to stay right where I am at and heads back to her police SUV. 5 minutes pass. I can still see the smokestack standing proud from where I am at. F@$king smokestack! Maybe 10 minutes pass she comes back out of the police SUV: $30 ticket and that she had to call off the impound truck. I guess I wasn't contrite enough. I didn't make any excuses or beg to have her let me off just one time. I just didn't have it in me. I was feeling pretty zen like when she was grilling me. It was a stupid thing to park in the lane but... I just couldn't get that worked up over it. It is good that I didn't answer one of her questions with a Zen Koan-type answer:

Ships cannot remain where the water is too shallow.

Probably would not have gone over too well!!



--------------------------------------
UPDATE: drove to a hilltop view around 4:30pm today, f@$king smokestack still standing... (sigh)

--------------------------------------
UPDATE: just thought that I might have been looking at the wrong smokestack? Hmmm... how many 230 foot high smokestacks are on the tideflats anyway?

"Selling Free Design albums has never been easy. Despite angelic vocal talents, hook-heavy songwriting skills, and immaculate presentation, the group's soft-psych family affair failed to elicit iconic stature in the ever-fickle pop community. Even state-of-the-art recording techniques and contributions from a stable of the finest session musicians around weren't enough for Enoch Light's Project 3 label (who released six of seven Free Designs LPs between 1967-72) to register a chart smash. Perhaps it came down to promotion, with the label spending more money on well-produced yet trite easy listening sounds.

Inspired by a serious Cuban feast in L.A. with DJ, producer, and Stones Throw label owner Peanut Butter Wolf, we collectively birthed the idea of bringing The Free Design's music into the 21st century. It didn't take long to realize that everyone involved sought something deeper and more meaningful than your average remix series. In other words, The Free Design Redesigned..."

The Free Design
The Now Sound Redesigned

Powell's Books - Essential Zen by Kazuaki Tanahashi and Tensho David Schneider One of the Chinese names for monk is "cloud-water." The implication is that monks should be free; they should float like a cloud and reflect like the water.

Etymology of genus names - a very serious post

Road Runner:
-----------------
Accelleratti Incredibus
Velocitus Tremenjus
Hot-Roddicus Supersonicus
Speedipus Rex
Velocitus Delectibus
Delicius-Delicius
Dig-Outius Tid-Bittius
Tastyus Supersonicus
Birdibus Zippibus
Birdius High-Ballius
Burnius-Roadibus
Digoutius-Unbelieveus
Super-Sonicus
Baduouticus
Velocitus Incalculus
Speedipus-Rex
Digoutius-Hot-Rodis
Fastius Tasty-us
Tid-Bittius Velocitus
Disappearialis Quickius
Burn-em Upus Asphaltus


Wile E. Coyote:
-------------------
Carnivorous Vulgaris
Road-Runnerus Digestus
Eatibus Anythingus
Famishus-Famishus
Eatibus Almost Anythingus
Eatius Birdius
Famishius Fantasticus
Eternalii Famishiis
Famishus Vulgaris
Famishius Vulgaris Ingeniusi
Famishius-Famishius
Eatius-Slobbius
Famishius-Famishius
Hardheadipus Delirius
Carnivorous Slobbius
Hard-Headipus Ravenus
Evereadii Eatibus
Apetitius Giganticus
Hungrii Flea-Bagius
Overconfidentii Vulgaris
Caninus Nervous Rex

Latin names used in the cartoons


Scientific names of organisms are not usually known for their entertainment value. They are indispensable for clarity in communication, but most people skip over them with barely a glance. Here I collect those names that are worth a second look.
Curiosities of Biological Nomenclature

call to doctor
hold music
sarah mclachlan muzak
sweet surrender

Smackdown! Steel Cage Grudge Match!: Frank Lloyd Wright (Churchius Leakius) vs Wile E. Coyote (Famishius Fantasticus)

you decide... the Master of Uncommon Places vs the Supergenius (does Eternalii Famishiis finally get a decent meal?) (how fast do you think Structurius Wierdicus could run anyway?)

dog on moon

at the end of the universe you will find a couple of bloggers blogging about each other's blogs...

That pretty much says it all (about this post), don't it? (Sigh) I should get out more...
-----------------------------------------------


(links from)
CulturePulp: Writings and Comics by M.E. Russell

Links : Bloggers

Galley Slaves
Dawn Taylor
Ten Years Ago in SPY
Randomly Ever After

Some historical highlights:
I get fired from Collegeclub.com.
I get visited by the FBI.
9/11/01: the best day of GW Bush's life.
I visit Paris.
I visit Iceland.
My mother's dead horse is hauled away.
I visit South Africa.

Dabble-Rouser
Gawker
Screenhead
"Rance"
Wonkette
Joe Clark
Neil Gaiman
The Byrons
William Gibson

"The August issue of WIRED has my take on U2's uber-technical Vertigo tour. Lots of fun to cover but actually rather challenging to write, as I had to tape and transcribe a number of brief interviews, something I'd not done before. I wish there were a recording technique that only recorded the answers, not the questions. My own recorded voice sounds like worms dying, to me. But fortunately the reader doesn't have to hear it."

Will Wheaton
Neal Pollack
Bunsen
Mark Steyn
S/FJ
Making Light
FluxBlog
Chris Hanel
Ryan L. Rodriguez's Daily Rants Of Nerdy Minutiae

ALTphotos: fabio keiner

Music for when you're not sleeping (but probably should be)

• Kashmir: The Symphonic Led Zeppelin (really, really f@ckin loud)

that's all i've got at the moment

Spotted part of this in the liner notes of The Best of Ken Burns Jazz. On Louis Armstrong:
"He's the most important person in music in the 20th century," Burns maintains. "He single-handedly transformed jazz into a soloist's art. He is the embodiment of the modernity that jazz represents at the turn of the 20th century. He changed the way every singer sang. He invented modern time, swing, a new relationship to time that was jazz's theory of relativity. Armstrong is to jazz what Einstein is to physics and what the Wright brothers are to air travel."

------------------------------------------------------
Stardust
Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra
Recorded November 4, 1931
------------------------------------------------------
To describe the sublime nature of this song? A swinging, moaning orchestra perform as if they were one single immense organism of sound and texture... An introduction of this and then Louis... the liner notes say he was "playing and singing ahead of and behind the notes". His vocalization and expression of the lyrics is unreal... "Oh memory Oh memory" His trumpet leaps out of the orchestra in sharp blasts. 3 minutes and 33 seconds of perfection. November 4, 1931. How many takes before he nailed it? I bet this was the first take.

Search & Destroy - Iggy & the Stooges
(1973 baby) (best turned up to 11)

I'm a street walking cheater with a hand full of napalm
I'm a runaway son of a nuclear A-bomb
I am the world's forgotten boy
The one who searches and destroys
Honey gotta help me please
Somebody gotta save my soul
Baby, detonate for me

Look out honey, 'cause i'm using technology
Ain't got time to make no apology
Solar radiation in the dead of night
Love in the middle of a fire fight
Honey gotta strike a plan
Somebody gotta save my soul
Baby, tell em, take my mind

I'm the world's forgotten boy
The one who's searchin', searchin' to destroy
And honey I'm the world's forgotten boy
The one who's searchin' only to destroy
Forgotten boy, forgotten boy
Forgotten boy said hey forgotten boy

Traditional Celtic pattern

Present Moment Research: exploration of nowness

[ok.. this is interesting in a head-spinning sort of way]

Miles Davis at Birdland, 1958
by Dennis Stock
.

.

.

.

Morning, Harding Park, 2002
by Mark Citret

Music makes one feel so romantic - at least it always gets on one's nerves - which is the same thing nowadays.
Oscar Wilde

The earth has music for those who listen.
William Shakespeare

Truly fertile Music, the only kind that will move us, that we shall truly appreciate, will be a Music conducive to Dream, which banishes all reason and analysis. One must not wish first to understand and then to feel. Art does not tolerate Reason.
Albert Camus

But music can save your life sometimes. It probably saved me from working in a bank or something. That's a kind of salvation right there.
Richard Thompson

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.
Aldous Huxley

When she had passed, it seemed like the ceasing of exquisite music.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I wrote a song, but I can't read music. Every time I hear a new song on the radio I think, "Hey, maybe I wrote that."
Steven Wright

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, There is a rapture on the lonely shore, There is society, where none intrudes, By the deep Sea, and music in its roar, I love not Man the less, but Nature more.
Lord Byron

All great deeds and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning. Great works are often born on a street corner or in a restaurant's revolving door.
Albert Camus

A work of art is the unique result of a unique temperament.
Oscar Wilde

Don't play what's there, play what's not there.
Miles Davis

the now

walking
my daughters are looking for acorns
and grabbing willow leaves as we pass underneath
this is all
there is nothing else

John Martin (British, 1789-1854)
A Man Playing a Harp with other Figures
beside a Lake, 1820
Brown wash with graphite