November 2002 Archives

"Since the late '60s, John McLaughlin has been on a constant quest. The guitarist, like his early mentor Miles Davis, has reinvented his music several times. And he isn't likely to stop any time soon. This special feature focuses on the many forms of McLaughlin's music, with particular emphasis on the recordings which have earned him his just fame.

But first, a bit of background: McLaughlin played on several electric Miles records, including the first shots in the fusion revolution. His work with Miles earned him a substantial fan base.

McLaughlin sparked his solo career with a trip into modern jazz, deriving energy from the free jazz movement. Soon he would go on to found the intense, hard-driving jazz-rock fusion of the Mahavishnu Orchestra--probably his most famous and influential group to date. A few years later, the guitar went unplugged in a new group called Shakti, which celebrated a spiritual form of Indo-jazz improvisation. While the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Shakti would see revivals in later years, McLaughlin remained restless.

He joined forces with Al DiMeola and Paco DeLucia in the now-legendary Guitar Trio, which won a huge new audience over to McLaughlin's vision. Power trios with Trilok Gurtu offered a spare, open improvisational approach; tributes to Coltrane and Bill Evans assumed widely different forms appropriate to each master; and Remember Shakti brought Indo-jazz fusion back into the limelight with an updated perspective.

You'll never be able to accuse John McLaughlin of getting too comfortable in any given setting. And that's one big reason why music from throughout his career remains fresh today.

Author Walter Kolosky, who is something of a McLaughlin disciple, has been on the path since the '70s. Kolosky's perceptive insight throughout this project testifies to his deep understanding of the music and the ideas which drive it. If you're curious about the many facets of John McLaughlin's art, this is an ideal place to start. "

All About Jazz this month has a huge feature on John McLaughlin including 2 articles, 36 cd reviews, and assorted McLaughlin resources.  If you like McLaughlin's stuff you definately need to take a look.

Bose is evil!  The Metafilter crowd isn't entirely convinced.

"viameta"

"Vice President Cheney, CIA Director Tenet, Gorbachev, the former chief arms inspector in Iraq, and the former head CIA agent in Iraq all have said that they believe that Al Qaeda is responsible for the anthrax attacks. A growing number of commentators agree -- urging that the publicly known evidence about means, opportunity, modus operandi and motive in the Amerithrax investigation points to Al Qaeda.(1) The argument, however, is far stronger than has been made to date. "

An interesting collection of evidence as to who was behind last years anthrax attacks, a story which seems to have fallen off the mass media's radar for some unknown reason.

Hope everyone had a fine turkey day.  Thanks to Katy and Meg for the fine eats.  I just had a piece of pie.  Yum.

"A team of researchers at the Montreal Neurological Institute, using the world's most advanced brain-mapping machines, have found that the same neural clusters that process the seductive pleasures of sex, chocolate and even hard drugs also fire up for music.

There is also persuasive evidence that the brain tends to prune these neural circuits for maximum pleasure the way a gardener cuts unproductive branches to make a rose bush bloom. Music, it seems, may make the brain bloom best because it literally electrifies, at lightning speed, a web of nerve paths in both hemispheres of our cerebral cortex that connect the neural clusters processing musical pitch, rhythm, harmony, melody, short term memory, long term memory, and emotions. Now, for the first time, neuroscientists mapping the musical mind at McGill University have confirmed that those music circuits also comprise the inch-worm shaped clusters that process exquisite pleasures, including illicit ones. But unlike other addictions, it leaves no hangover, drug habits, clogged arteries, or sexual diseases."

McGill University (my grandparent's alma mater) is doing some interesting research into how music is handled by the brain.  Sounds reasonable to me ;)

"viablogcritics"

"The selection of a longtime associate of the Bush entourage, however eminent, may not inspire great public confidence. The families who have courageously fought for this commission may well wonder whether Kissinger has the independence and the integrity to perform the job adequately. There are reasons for doubt that extend beyond the former secretary of state's legendary propensity for prevarication, secrecy and worse. As Daniel Schorr predicted on NPR this afternoon, "What is sure is that Dr. Kissinger will do nothing to embarrass the president."

The most significant problem, aside from Kissinger's obvious partisan and personal ties to the White House, is the same issue that has dogged him ever since he left government for private life: Kissinger, Inc. As a glorified fixer for multinational corporations, he brings an inherent conflict of interest into almost any public responsibility -- especially a job that may require him to examine the behavior of the Saudi government, for instance. "

Joe Conason on Bush's naming of Henry Kissinger as chairman of the independent 9/11 probe.

"The favorite Canadian quote on cross-border relations came from the late Pierre Trudeau.  Living next door to the U.S., the former prime minister said, is like sleeping with an elephant; you feel every twitch and grunt.

He was perhaps too diplomatic to point out that Canada is actually more like a flea on an elephant's ass -- invisible unless we prove too annoying, and then easily crushed. That's a fact Canadians are forced to accept. But it doesn't lead to fond feelings.

Recently I was talking to some friends about that Ben Franklin documentary and happened to mention the inspiration French revolutionaries took from the Americans. My friends were skeptical -- surely, they insisted, the American Revolution must have followed the French. The idea that those heroic peasants from "Les Misérables" lit their torches from an American flame seemed impossible to my Canadian peers. Today's America is viewed as Republican -- not bravely-manning-the-barricades republican, not teaching-the-world-the-ways-of-liberty republican. George W. Bush Republican.

And we know what Canadians call him."

An interesting article in Salon on what our friends to the north think of Dubya and his America.

Edward R. Murrow. "When the politicians complain that TV turns the proceedings into a circus, it should be made clear that the circus was already there, and that TV has merely demonstrated that not all the performers are well trained." [Quotes of the Day]

Rothko

Tomwhore!

zzzeek@zzzeek.org

"I'm also curious as to how adding to the current avalanche of data that the U.S. government already admits that it doesn't have the capability to analyze will help in the prevention of possible future terrorist attacks and other crimes. "

Greg talks about TIA, including a link to a good article breaking down what TIA would entail.

"Sex Mob is set to play the newly renovated Sweet Rhythm (formerly Sweet Basil) in New York on Friday, November 22 and Saturday November 23. In addition to the show being the first time Sex Mob plays the club, it marks the band's last New York City performance before they head into the studio in December to record their next album with special guest musician/arranger Roswell Rudd. The album will be released on Ropeadope Records and once again be produced by longtime collaborator Scotty Hard. "

Wow!  Trombonist/Composer Roswell Rudd with Sex Mob on John Medeski's label: Ropeadope.  Three great tastes that should go great together.  Can't wait for this one.  In celebration, a Sex Mob "bnp" to the first 4 to email me.  Any Sex Mob show from my list.  Seriously folks, free music, just email me.

"Bob Beauprez has beaten Mike Feeley in Colorado's closest-ever congressional election, triggering an automatic recount that may keep the race for the new 7th Congressional District dragging on until December."

81,530 to 81,408.  122 votes.  0.15%.  Your vote makes a difference.

Assuming no surprises in the recount, I now have a bank-owning pro-life Republican for my Representative.  Of course, compared to Tom Tancredo, my previous Rep, Beauprez is a tree-hugging hippy.  Hooray!

"Without trying to judge which bold proposals Democrats should advance, we simply want to underscore that this was an electorate hungry for Democrats who speak out and address the country’s greatest problems. In light of what happened after 9-11 and with the Democrats silent on the economy, they gave the edge to the Republicans, but not a mandate. Once again, this is still the Democrats’ moment."

Democracy Corps is a Democractic "think tank" founded by James Carville, Stanley Greenberg, and Bob Shrum in 1999.  They have some thoughts on why the election was lost, and how some unaddressed issues could have helped the Democrats.

Some of the "bold proposals" that they feel could swing folks the Democrats way:

• Universal health coverage, prescription drugs for seniors and patients rights
• Energy security and independence by way of higher car efficiency, cleaner energy sources, and financial incentives for new energy technologies
• Cancel tax cuts for the top 1% while cutting taxes for the middle class and invest in school construction and homeland security
• Protecting social security from privatization
• Multilateralism in international affairs
• Simplify the tax structure, getting rid of loopholes and deductions favoring corporations

[via Political Wire]

"Quitters will find camaraderie and support on November 21 when thousands of Americans avoid tobacco use for the day or for good. For 25 years more smokers have kicked the habit during the Great American Smokeout than any other day of the year. We have what you need to plan, resist, and stay quit. Check the titles below or call 1-800-ACS-2345."

6.5 weeks of no cigarettes.  Yay!

"Energy security "is an issue that has percolated very quickly to the top over the course of the past 15 months," says Jon Coifman, a spokesman for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an environmental group in Washington. "People are saying, 'We want to meet our needs for mobility and transportation and hauling the soccer team around, but we don't need to make ourselves dangerously dependent on foreign oil to do that.' "

In some ways, this message is old hat. During World War II, citizens eagerly answered the government's pleas to use less gasoline and other household items. In 1973, Americans sat endlessly in lines at the pump during the Arab oil embargo. And a few years later, President Carter spoke somberly to the American people, calling the battle for energy independence "the moral equivalent of war."

What is different this time, however, is that the calls for conservation are more bottom-up: Many come from ordinary citizens, hoping that if they speak loudly enough, their leaders will listen. And their disparate voices seem to be tapping into a very real - and unmet - need for some Americans to be asked to do their part in the war on terrorism.

"People are sensing that there are threats to this country, and they want to respond with something beyond going shopping - which was what we were asked to do after Sept. 11," says iconoclast columnist Arianna Huffington."

Good article from the Christian Science Monitor on the emerging grassroots efforts to save energy for America's sake.

"Attorney General John Ashcroft scored a major legal victory on Monday when a secret appeals court ruled that his Justice Department can spy on Americans -- by wiretapping, searching their homes and reading their e-mail, among other measures -- without first obtaining a warrant showing probable cause for criminal activity. The decision emboldens the government's war on terror at home but also raises fresh concerns about privacy and due process. "

Move along.  Nothing to see here.

"BMG, home to such acts as Carlos Santana, OutKast and Britney Spears, is the first major music company to scrap contract deductions that artists say obfuscate their earnings. The action comes as lawmakers in California and New York have begun to scrutinize complaints from pop stars about questionable accounting practices in the industry.

"One reason this industry has ended up with such a bad image is because we could not look a guy in the eye and tell him, as a partner, that the contract he was about to sign was fair," said BMG Chairman Rolf Schmidt-Holtz. "This is the first step in a larger plan by BMG to redefine our partnership with artists.""

Good to see at least one company paying attention to its disgruntled money-makers.

"Yet he enjoys complete immunity, for a simple, cynical reason. "War" is a political weapon that Republicans have been using against Democrats since Karl Rove openly declared this strategy last winter. Ideological enforcers like Horowitz are instruments of Rove's strategy, which succeeded brilliantly in the midterm election. Rove's aim is to destroy Democrats, not libertarians, whose support he will be seeking on domestic issues next year.

That's why Novak, Bandow and Cato -- usually allies rather than adversaries of the White House -- get a free pass no matter what they say about foreign policy. And that's also why the "patriotic" bullies of the right will angrily assault any liberal or leftist who dares to say exactly the same things. "

Good comments by Joe on why those on the left opposing the war are called traitors by right wing hawk, while those against the war on the right are ignored.

By James Sherman

(We take you now to the Oval Office.)

George: Condi! Nice to see you. What's happening?
Condi: Sir, I have the report here about the new leader of China.
George: Great. Lay it on me.
Condi: Hu is the new leader of China.
George: That's what I want to know.
Condi: That's what I'm telling you.
George: That's what I'm asking you. Who is the new leader of China?
Condi: Yes.
George: I mean the fellow's name.
Condi: Hu.
George: The guy in China.
Condi: Hu.
George: The new leader of China.
Condi: Hu.
George: The Chinaman!
Condi: Hu is leading China.
George: Now whaddya' asking me for?
Condi: I'm telling you Hu is leading China.
George: Well, I'm asking you. Who is leading China?
Condi: That's the man's name.
George: That's who's name?
Condi: Yes.
George: Will you or will you not tell me the name of the new leader of China?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir? Yassir Arafat is in China? I thought he was in the Middle East
.
Condi: That's correct.
George: Then who is in China?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir is in China?
Condi: No, sir.
George: Then who is?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir?
Condi: No, sir.
George: Look, Condi. I need to know the name of the new leader of China. Get me the Secretary General of the U.N. on the phone.
Condi: Kofi?
George: No, thanks.
Condi: You want Kofi?
George: No.
Condi: You don't want Kofi.
George: No. But now that you mention it, I could use a glass of milk. And
then get me the U.N.
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Not Yassir! The guy at the U.N.
Condi: Kofi?
George: Milk! Will you please make the call?
Condi: And call who?
George: Who is the guy at the U.N?
Condi: Hu is the guy in China.
George: Will you stay out of China?!
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: And stay out of the Middle East! Just get me the guy at the U.N.
Condi: Kofi.
George: All right! With cream and two sugars. Now get on the phone.
(Condi picks up the phone.)
Condi: Rice, here.
George: Rice? Good idea. And a couple of egg rolls, too. Maybe we should send some to the guy in China. And the  Middle East. Can you get Chinese food in the Middle East?

Ennui at its finest

...and then there were five

irrational number, fissionable material: reive's journal

suck-my-big.org

kawaii ryuko's journal

Random thoughts from a random mind

All sorts of stuff. World Affairs, Info Security, Music, Movies and Various Other Nerdishness.

Accept no Substitutes

Who? Elizabeth
What? Married, geeky, vegan, cat mommy.
When? Real soon now.
Where? Toronto, CA
Why? Because we love you!

Possible good news.  I kind of doubt this will find a receptive audience in the upcoming Senate, but its kind of early to tell.

"The 7,000 pages of the Pentagon Papers prove that nothing our leaders said should have been taken at face value. It's naive and even irresponsible for a grownup today to get her or his information about foreign policy and war and peace exclusively from the administration in power. It's essential to have other sources of information, to check those against one's own common sense, and to form your own judgment as to whether we ought to go to or persist in war."

An interesting interview with the leaker of the Pentagon Papers, Daniel Ellsberg, on why our leaders should never be taken at face value when it comes to war, and a call to those with conscience in the Administration to let the public know if they are being lied to.

""The Democratic Party needs a left, but it doesn't need the left," sighed John Judis, when I called to get his wisdom about this year's Democratic mess, 18 years after he helped me understand the last Mondale loss. "It doesn't need the Ramsey Clark crazy people. And the Greens are exactly what isn't needed. It has to be people who understand American politics -- that we have a two-party system and there aren't three choices -- there are two." "

I'm a bit behind in my Salon reading, but after finally getting to this article, I thought I'd share it with those that haven't seen it already.  It sensibly takes the Democrats to task for giving up on valid arguments against war in Iraq for the sake of political expediency.  It chastises them for spending too much time focusing on Bush's "illegitimacy."   And it points out that a uncontrolled swing to the left, without paying attention to the lessons learned from the successes of the Clinton administration, will result in furthur irrelevance. 

"A coalition of religious and environmental groups is launching a "What Would Jesus Drive?" campaign Wednesday, hoping to get people to switch to more fuel-efficient cars."

I wonder if this will work.  If so, its good to see religious types entering this debate on the right side ;)

A bit of fun at the expense of a marketeer on the MMW list today.  This is probably only funny to those who like MMW and wear Blue Shirts ;)

The marketeer posts:

Hi all,

I'm doing a marketing assignment on MMW and would appreciate any help you
can give me.

* How did you first hear of MMW and why did you investigate their music
further??
* What about MMW appeals to you??
* Are there any advertisements / flyers, etc in your area on MMW?
* What makes them different to other bands?
* Are they broadcast on the radio in the states?? If so, which stations?
* What are the pros and cons of this band??
* What does the artwork say to you?? Does it reflect the musical genres??
* Does taping/trading help MMW??

Any other information on general marketing processes on MMW would be much
appreciated

Thanks
Pete Williams.

Michael Calore answers:

>How did you first hear of MMW and why did you investigate
>their music further??

trey told me to.

>What about MMW appeals to you??

trey talks them up, and EVERYONE listens to phish, so they're kind of
underground.

>Are there any advertisements / flyers, etc in your area on MMW?

last time Widespread played in berkeley, there were a lot of dudes handing
out postcards with MMWs picture on them but you had to be exxxtra cool to
know because they all had masks on. i was all like "medeski martin and
wood!" and people around me were all like "huh?" and "shut up".

>What makes them different to other bands?

trey never plays with string cheese!

>Are they broadcast on the radio in the states?? If so, which stations?

sha, right! david gans has his head up his ass.

>What are the pros and cons of this band??

they have all been professional musicians for the last 10 years or so, and
none of them have ever been arrested or convicted of a crime as far as i
know.

>What does the artwork say to you??

the alien thing on FAITU started saying "helium! helium! helium!" once after
the totally raging new years 98 show.

>Does taping/trading help MMW??

dude, i have a sick show with trey on it.

sorry, pete, just having a little fun. it's tuesday. cuz that's my fun day.

-m

Ok, so some of it was at the expense of PhishHeads too.  Sorry.

"Ok I go out to this bar and I don't know what to expect. A power trio. Young players. Great reviews. Melodica, lots of melodica. A sense of humor, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey. No one is actually called Jacob Fred. Everyone is called Jacob Fred. Well, this band is great and I encourage you to buy their CD's and try to see them live. Their music reminds me of three large animals racing through a forest - breaking trees and disturbing the scene, they come to party with ammunition. Listening to a CD of the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey is like experiencing a snapshot of their music because it is changing. They take ideas and develop them. They are not afraid to take chances and this keeps their gigs powerful & fresh. They play with dynamics & feeling. The drummer, Jason Smart, started the set off playing mallets. As a tune progresses Brian (keyboards) will start covering Michael Henderson type bass lines on the Fender Rhodes while Reed Mathis (bass player) is playing lead lines, several octaves higher than a stock bass, that sound like ............. well check it out and you tell me. The relaxed interview takes place in the basement of a Mpls, MN bar while the first act plays upstairs. Brian Haas the leader & keyboard player in the band greets me as I enter the dungeon. Brain if full of positive energy. We quickly become melodica buddies and before we know it an intermittent cassette-recorder cooperates."

A very informal interview with Brian Haas, keyboardist of Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey on his use of the melodica.  Both he and John Medeski (who is also interviewed on the same site) use them regularly these days and they add an important flavor to the mix of both JFJO and MMW.  For a children's toy, they make some amazing music on them.  What's that?  You haven't heard either?  Well then, just email me and I'll be happy to "bnp" any Jacob Fred or Medeski, Martin & Wood show off my list for the first 4 people to respond.  I'll even be happy to suggest shows with lots of melodica ;)

"Colorado's closest federal election in history is now heading to court.

Democrat Mike Feeley is asking a Denver district court judge to prevent results of his 7th Congressional District race against Republican Bob Beauprez from being released until all qualified ballots are counted.

The results for the district were to be announced Tuesday evening.

"We are extending the agreed upon deadline of Tuesday, Nov. 19 to accommodate any instructions from the court and so that we may provide consistent result tallies," Secretary of State Donetta Davidson said in a written statement."

The Democrat tries a Republican tactic.  My candidates lost every race, except this one.  I'm holding out hope, but am not sure it really matters.

The study has been released.  For those not interested in the whole 145 pages, there's a nice executive summary, which I furthur summarize here:

"Major Findings

EVIDENCE OF CONSOLIDATION

1. Ten parent companies dominate the radio spectrum, radio listenership and radio revenues. Deregulation has allowed a few large radio companies to swallow many of the small ones. Together these ten parent companies control two-thirds of both listeners and revenue nationwide. Two parent companies in particular, Clear Channel and Viacom, control 42 percent of listeners and 45 percent of industry revenues (see Chapter 3, pp. 24-25).

2. Consolidation is particularly extreme in the case of Clear Channel. Since passage of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, Clear Channel has grown from 40 stations to 1,240 stations -- 30 times more than congressional regulation previously allowed. No potential competitor owns even one-quarter the number of Clear Channel stations. With over 100 million listeners, Clear Channel reaches over one-third of the U.S. population (see Chapter 3, p. 24).

3. Oligopolies control almost every geographic market. Virtually every geographic market is dominated by four firms controlling 70 percent of market share or greater. In smaller markets, consolidation is more extreme. The largest four firms in most small markets control 90 percent of market share or more. These companies are sometimes regional or national station groups and not locally owned (see Chapter 3, pp. 31-35).

4. Virtually every music format is controlled by an oligopoly. In 28 of the 30 major music formats, nationwide, four companies or fewer control over 50 percent of listeners (see Chapter 3, pp. 36-39).

EFFECTS OF CONSOLIDATION

5. A small number of companies control the news Americans hear on the radio. Four parent companies control two-thirds of the nation’s News format listeners. Two such firms, Viacom and Disney’s ABC Radio, also control major television networks (see Chapter 3, p. 38).

6. Format consolidation leads to fewer gatekeepers. A small number of companies control what music is played on specific formats. Coupled with a broad trend toward shorter playlists, this creates few opportunities for musicians to get on the radio. Further, overwhelming consolidation of these formats deprives citizens the opportunity to hear a wide range of music (See Chapter 4, pp. 61-63).

7. Increased format variety does not ensure increased programming diversity. From 1996 to 2000, format variety – the average number of formats available in each geographic market – increased in both large and small markets (see Chapter 3, p. 44-45). Yet format variety is not equivalent to true diversity in programming. Formats with different names have similar playlists. Analyzing data from charts in Radio and Records and Billboard Airplay Monitor, revealed considerable format homogeneity – playlist overlap between supposedly distinct formats: as much as 76 percent (see Chapter 4, p. 56). Furthermore, radio companies regularly operate two or more stations with the same format in the same geographic market. Such format redundancy undermines a common economic assumption that station owners with multiple stations in a market would program differently, in order to avoid competing against themselves. We found 561 instances of format redundancy nationwide, amounting to massive missed opportunities for format variety, which might in turn enhance programming diversity (see Chapter 3, p. 50).

8. A “twin bottleneck” limits musicians’ access to radio. Radio’s oligopolies interact with a five-company recording industry oligopoly, hurting musicians and citizens. Eighty to 100 percent of radio charts are dominated by songs released by the five (previously six) major label conglomerates. This “twin bottleneck” makes access to the airwaves even more difficult for musicians – and reduces choice for citizens (see Chapter 4, pp. 63-67).

CITIZENS' VIEWS ON RADIO AND CONSOLIDATION

9. Radio reaches a large portion of adults on a weekly basis, but time spent listening is at a 27-year low. In September 2002, Duncan’s American Radio reported that the “average persons rating” – the percentage of the U.S. population listening to the radio in any average quarter hour – has experienced a near-17 percent drop in listening over the last 13 years.

10. Citizens favor preservation of independent and locally owned stations. Eighty percent of survey respondents support action to prevent further consolidation. Thirty-eight percent would go a step further, supporting congressional action that encourages more local ownership of radio stations (see Chapter 5, p. 81-82).

11. Radio listeners want less advertising. Industry wide, the amount of advertising per hour has grown significantly over the last several years. A 2000 study found that advertising “clutter” had increased six percent nationwide in 1999, though by 2000 the amount of ads had leveled off. (4) When asked about the quantity of ads, 60 percent of survey respondents said that radio has too much advertising (see Chapter 5, p. 85).

12. Radio listeners want to hear a wider range of music that includes local musicians. Twenty-five percent of survey respondents said they hear too little of the music they like; 38 percent said that local artists are underexposed on the radio (See Chapter 5, p. 85).

13. Radio listeners want longer playlists with more variety. Seventy-eight percent of those surveyed would rather hear programming from a longer playlist – one with more songs – than from a shorter one. Fifty-two percent of those surveyed said that less repetition, more new music, or more local acts would most make radio more appealing (See Chapter 5, pp. 76-77).

14. Citizens support action to stop “indie” promotion. Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed support congressional involvement to curb the use of payola-like systems that use third parties to let record companies pay radio stations for airplay (see Chapter 5, pp. 80-81).

15. Citizens support efforts to grow low power FM radio. Seventy-five percent of survey respondents said they would welcome low power radio stations into their communities (see Chapter 5, p. 82-84)."

For a whole lot more detail, check out all 145 pages of the report here.

"Radio Deregulation: Has It Harmed Citizens and Musicians? On November 18, 2002 the FMC will publicly release its report documenting the effects of radio station ownership consolidation on musicians and the public. This comprehensive analysis was conducted in partnership with Media Access Project and funded by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation."

What should be a very important report on the radio industry (aka Clear Channel) will be released tomorrow.   Advance copies have leaked, and The Hollywood Reporter has some comments on it.  To summarize:

""The radical deregulation of the radio industry allowed by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 has not benefited the public or musicians," a copy of the report obtained by The Hollywood Reporter said. "Instead, it has led to less competition, fewer viewpoints and less diversity in programming.""

"viablogcritics"

"I’ve been bumped off some of the greatest movies and now television. I’m the only actor in the history of film to be killed in the first two minutes of a movie, in “Memento.” I’m used to really sexy death scenes. I jokingly said you need to look at my other death scenes, I remember saying “that’s already been done to me once” at some points. I even did an obscure movie called “Downtown” with Anthony Edwards and Forrest Whitaker, and they put me in a shredder."

An interview with "Joey Pants" on his recent demise.  I miss him already.

"I saw them again the other day, shivering in the cold, in the rain, without jackets or coats. The looked out, expressionless, as the great world, busy and purposeful, hurried by on the street. They were lined up along the wall of a business office. At their feet were a small mountain of cigarette butts and litter.

They are the punished, the shamed. They are the Smokers. As they stood there--I imagined a wreath of smoke curling round their shoulders like the wooden collar of the stocks of the 17th century--I thought: Why don't we stop this?"

I find myself agreeing with Peggy Noonan, and all of a sudden I want a cigarette ;)

I just quit smoking, its been a little over 5 weeks, but I still think a lot of the anti-smoking laws in this country are silly.  I worked for a while in Europe, and in most places, could smoke at my desk.  In Oslo, when a co-worker asked to be seated at a no-smoking table, the waitress sat us down between several tables of smokers, and placed a no-smoking sign on the table.  Where is the harm in letting folks smoke?  The EPA finds that second hand smoke kills 3000 folks a year.  Thats really not a lot.  If folks want to kill themselves smoking, let them!

In any case, a very good article which anyone with feelings on either side of the issue should read.

"viaganu"

"A group of well-placed Republican activists are planning to launch a new organization to rally popular support for a war on Iraq. But a closer look at the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq reveals it to be just the latest addition to an incestuous web of rightwing front-organizations staffed and funded by a small but well-organized segment of the foreign-policy elite. "

More on the recent activities of the The Project for the New American Century (PNAC), a group I've mentioned here before as being behind a good amount of Bush's foreign policy.  Some good historical points on the members.

New York born, Seattle-based composer and pianist/keyboardist Wayne Horvitz is the leader of Zony Mash, Pigpen, and the 4+1 Ensemble, and co-leader of the New York Composers Orchestra and Ponga, and has been a frequent collaborator of John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Butch Morris, Bobby Previte, and his wife, Robin Holcomb. He also composes for film, TV, dance and theater. But Wayne Horvitz' music can be called anything but eclectic. (Don't call it fusion either...) Right now, he and Zony Mash are touring along the West Coast. Toby Dodds conducted this interview with Wayne just before this tour began. [See Zony Mash Tour Dates...]

An interesting interview with one of my favorite composers, band leaders, and musicians: Wayne Horvitz.  He's one of the short list of artists I know I can always count on.  If he is involved with a project, it's gotta be good.  Read the article, and if anyone's interested, I'll offer up a B&P of any Zony Mash, Ponga (a Horvitz/Skerik project), or plain ole' Wayne Horvitz show off of my list to the first 4 folks to email me.

From my referers:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=salon%20premium%20passwords&spell=1

Don't steal.  Bad Bad!

Thanks Hossein!  I actually went searching for some Iranian weblogs recently, and didn't have much luck.  Looks like a good starting point to get a better 'inside' view on whats going on over there.

"If the Homeland Security Act is not amended before passage, here is what will happen to you:

Every purchase you make with a credit card, every magazine subscription you buy and medical prescription you fill, every Web site you visit and e-mail you send or receive, every academic grade you receive, every bank deposit you make, every trip you book and every event you attend - all these transactions and communications will go into what the Defense Department describes as "a virtual, centralized grand database." "

I haven't bothered posting about this over the last few days, since I figured this is what the American people want.  After all, one of the major reasons for getting all those republicans in place was to get this bill passed.  Who cares if we lose our essential freedoms and liberties, as long as the bad men don't hurt us anymore.  Who cares that the agency behind these actions has a creepy Illuminati-style logo.  The only people really complaining anyhow are a bunch of America-hating lefties, right? 

But, now that the right, in the personage of William Safire, is writing about it, I figure maybe some folks might not be interested in giving up all their privacy in the name of safety after all. 

It'll still pass.

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

"viadrudge"

"Today's protests followed similar demonstrations on Monday at Modaress Training University in the central part of the city. More than a thousand students carried a portrait of Mr. Aghajari as they marched and chanted demands for the resignation of Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, the hard-liner chief of the Iranian judiciary. The students also called for the resignation of President Mohammad Khatami, the leader of Iran's reform movement, in a sign of frustration with the continuous setbacks for reform.

Mr. Aghajari was sentenced to death last week in a closed-door trial in Hamedan on charges that he had insulted the Prophet Muhammad. The charges stemmed from a speech he made in August in which he called on people to not follow religious leaders blindly."

Things are getting tense in Iran.  Even elements of the government are speaking out against the decision by the hardline forces behind the scenes, who have their own thoughts on the dissent.  What effect would a US attack on Iraq have on possible movement towards real democracy?

"viadrudge"