Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Friday, February 16, 2007
Human Cruelty
As you know we have a TV in the breakroom here at Initech, the thing is constantly on and the volume is constantly up. (I realize that some people live like this, I used to, I changed.)
Tonight I was trying to read during an episode of Trading Spouses, where, if you don't know the premise, two incredibly different wives are swapped between families. I know this template has been the cornerstone of reality TV since The Real World.
But it finally dawned on me.
Reality TV is Human Cruelty for profit.
Dog fighting is illegal in all 50 states, but millions of people tune in every night to gawk at human fighting.
The dogs don't know any better, they're just following their instinct (or more likely have been abused and trained to kill). The humans should know better.
Tonight I was trying to read during an episode of Trading Spouses, where, if you don't know the premise, two incredibly different wives are swapped between families. I know this template has been the cornerstone of reality TV since The Real World.
But it finally dawned on me.
Reality TV is Human Cruelty for profit.
Dog fighting is illegal in all 50 states, but millions of people tune in every night to gawk at human fighting.
The dogs don't know any better, they're just following their instinct (or more likely have been abused and trained to kill). The humans should know better.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Sunday, February 11, 2007
White men loves them the blues
I have a real problem with old white men.
Now, that's not surprising given old white men cause most of the problems in the world but I'm speaking specifically of the old white man's love for the genre of music known as Blues.
Blues music evolved in the south, from the poorest people in the poorest areas of the country, who also happened to be black. The stories they tell are of poverty, oppression, and are the logical evolution of spirituals, which slaves used to carry their traditions without their owners knowledge. Characteristic of both genres is the theme of hope, that things will get better.
Blues records began coming out in the 20s and never achieved any real success outside of regional or ethnographic interests until the 60s when collectors in the UK began seeing them as important artifacts of a unique musical movement. This eventually led to folks such as Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page discovering, imitating and ultimately creating a significant slice of Rock and Roll.
Obviously the success of this blues based white music led to the success of the blues artists themselves, and while there is no black blues artist that can claim the successes that his white imitators can, there is a significant healthy market for these guys(and gals). Austin is home to one of the most successful blues clubs in the country, Antone's, opened by a rabid blues fan which supported and grew the careers of countless so called authentic blues artists.
Now, where is the problem here you ask?
My problem with this whole thing is the fact that damn near every face in these clubs is white, coming to witness the authentic black musician sing about authentic black problems.
Which begs the next obvious question...why don't black folks like the blues anymore?
I think I can sum it up with a paraphrase from Bill Hicks regarding crucifixes. "Do you think if Jesus returned he'd want to see any more crosses?"
That is why I think the blues is a dead genre which was abandoned by the black community and has been successfully supplanted by Rap etc. Blues doesn't deal with the problems of today, it's a romantic sclerotic relic of what was once a vital outlet of suffering and sorrow.
At the end of it all I guess I should laugh at all these 'cats' shifting their hardly earned dollars to those black artists, perhaps they are getting the last laugh after all.
Now, that's not surprising given old white men cause most of the problems in the world but I'm speaking specifically of the old white man's love for the genre of music known as Blues.
Blues music evolved in the south, from the poorest people in the poorest areas of the country, who also happened to be black. The stories they tell are of poverty, oppression, and are the logical evolution of spirituals, which slaves used to carry their traditions without their owners knowledge. Characteristic of both genres is the theme of hope, that things will get better.
Blues records began coming out in the 20s and never achieved any real success outside of regional or ethnographic interests until the 60s when collectors in the UK began seeing them as important artifacts of a unique musical movement. This eventually led to folks such as Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page discovering, imitating and ultimately creating a significant slice of Rock and Roll.
Obviously the success of this blues based white music led to the success of the blues artists themselves, and while there is no black blues artist that can claim the successes that his white imitators can, there is a significant healthy market for these guys(and gals). Austin is home to one of the most successful blues clubs in the country, Antone's, opened by a rabid blues fan which supported and grew the careers of countless so called authentic blues artists.
Now, where is the problem here you ask?
My problem with this whole thing is the fact that damn near every face in these clubs is white, coming to witness the authentic black musician sing about authentic black problems.
Which begs the next obvious question...why don't black folks like the blues anymore?
I think I can sum it up with a paraphrase from Bill Hicks regarding crucifixes. "Do you think if Jesus returned he'd want to see any more crosses?"
That is why I think the blues is a dead genre which was abandoned by the black community and has been successfully supplanted by Rap etc. Blues doesn't deal with the problems of today, it's a romantic sclerotic relic of what was once a vital outlet of suffering and sorrow.
At the end of it all I guess I should laugh at all these 'cats' shifting their hardly earned dollars to those black artists, perhaps they are getting the last laugh after all.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Bizarre cooking show
I was flipping through the channels in our break room here and came across the most bizarre show, checking the listings I find that ACC has a feed on Time Warner but no program listings, I guess they just get a raw feed from ACC? So this woman is hosting a small cooking show but something is very wrong, it looks like it's about 1985, intrigued, I continue to watch. As I tune in she's working with a vintage Cuisinart filled with what looks like white beans to which she adds a ridiculous list of ingredients including Marmite and I'm pretty sure every single spice in the typical American cupboard. To the right she is sauteeing some onions in a tiny nonstick pan on what looks to be a portable camp burner, these get added to the Cuisinart and pureed. The mixture is then spooned into a metal cake pan (sprayed with non-stick spray, natch) which she puts into the toaster oven on the left. Toaster oven? I'm watching a cooking show and she's using a toaster oven. The instructions are to cook for an hour, no temperature is given. Cut to an hour later, the bean cake ready she explains that she likes to arrange this creation in an attractive mound over lettuce, which she then does, with her bare hands sort of like an insane ape sculpting it's own dung. It was at this point I started to wonder what alternate universe I had accidentally stumbled upon. Finally she garnishes this culinary nightmare with green olives and pimentoes. That last act really put it over the top. I still have no idea what the hell it was she made but I'm determined to find out what this show is, I must see more of this domestic goddess. I wonder if the theme of the show specifically requires the camp stove and toaster oven (dormroom delights? divorcee dining?), or did the budget not allow them to use an actual oven...you know...on a cooking show.
Life resembles The Island
Thursday, February 08, 2007
crazy little bug
check out this bug at our front door. I've seen some strange creatures living here.
The tragedy of the commons (link fixed)
I came across this wonderful essay recently that perfectly explains one of my most frustrating observations about people, and this cuts across all economies, classes, you name it. Basically, why are people driven to exploit and ultimately ruin anything of common good?
Whether it's the degradation of the Internet into a commercial nightmare or that asshole speeding through that red light because, well he doesn't have to obey traffic laws. I'm being rather simplistic but sometimes I need to read the thoughts of others who share my views so I can at least tell myself 'you're not crazy'.
Whether it's the degradation of the Internet into a commercial nightmare or that asshole speeding through that red light because, well he doesn't have to obey traffic laws. I'm being rather simplistic but sometimes I need to read the thoughts of others who share my views so I can at least tell myself 'you're not crazy'.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
blech
I've been really really sick since thursday, still not back together, I don't think it's the flu and I don't really care.
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