epiminondas writes:
Yes, I understand that different cultures communicate ideas in ways that sometimes seem strange to us. Particularly when taken out of context. Recently, while traveling in Chile, I stopped at a gas station and saw this ad in a brochure. Whoa! “Lubrax” sounds like “lube racks”…and these gals have ’em.
Fenster writes:
It helps in planning, as in life, to have a sense of identity. And I don’t mean “brand”, although in practice branding and identity exercises are often comprised of the same interchangeable BS. At least in terms of connotation, branding summons up an image of an hot iron stuck on you by someone else
whereas identity, done right, ought to signify an expression of who you really are. Yes, you can get lost navel gazing in an identity search
but reflection is an integral part of good planning. It is fine to have a goal that is ambitious when starting planning, but it is not OK to have a self-image that is fanciful.
But identity-finding can sometimes be hard. When that’s the case planning can be hard, too.
In that regard this is a story about planning at Rutgers, the quintessential identity-challenged university. As to why identity-finding is hard at Rutgers, you have to start with history.
Blowhard, Esq. writes:
Men really have strange emotions and behave in the most bizarre ways. Sometimes a man will leave a very pretty woman to marry an ugly one. Surely a gentleman who frequents the Palace should choose as his love the prettiest girl of good family he can find. Though she may be of such high standing that he cannot hope to make her his wife, he should, if he is really impressed by the girl, languish for her unto death.
Sometimes, too, a man will become so fascinated by a girl of whom he was heard favorable reports that he will do everything in his power to marry her even though they have never even met.
I do not understand how a many can possibly love a girl whom other people, even those of her own sex, find ugly.
I remember a certain woman who was both attractive and good-natured and who furthermore had excellent handwriting. Yet when she sent a beautifully written poem to the man of her choice, he replied with some pretentious jottings and did not even bother to visit her. She wept endearingly, but he was indifferent and went to see another woman instead. Everyone, even people who were not directly concerned, felt indignant about this callous behavior, and the woman’s family was much grieved. The man himself, however, showed not the slightest pity.
— The Pillow Book of Sei Shōnagon, c. 1002, translated by Ivan Morris
Eddie Pensier writes:
…Joan Fontaine (22 October 1917 − 15 December 2013)
…Peter O’Toole (2 August 1932 – 14 December 2013)
epiminondas writes:
I went to see The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug recently. I wish I hadn’t. It was essentially shot as though it were some juvenile computer game. Poor acting, too. And a multicultural Dale? What were Jackson and his writers thinking? Poor Tolkien would have had a fit had he known about this god-awful perversion of his simple tale. At least TLOTR trilogy had the feel of Tolkien’s novels. This has little in common with the wonderful tale Tolkien left us. I was mildly disappointed with the first film in the series. I positively HATE the second one and have no intention of wasting my money on a third. Take my advice: read the The Hobbit…don’t watch it. Here’s a great review that covers most of my criticisms.
Fabrizio del Wrongo writes:
I’ve been watching a lot of stand-up comedy on Netflix Instant of late. It’s one of those cultural side streets I hadn’t been paying much attention to. Of the performers I’ve sampled, Bill Burr is one of my favorites. He actually made me laugh out loud a few times, which is more than most comedians manage.
Below are two of his better bits, both of which are pretty un-PC. The one on hitting women takes the room to a slightly uncomfortable place, especially when he goes after a heckler. The bit has the thinking-it-out-and-yes-I’m-gonna-go-there quality of a good Game blog post.
Stand-up seems to be one of the few areas of pop culture in which performers can really challenge PC standards. Why do you think that is?
You can catch a couple of full-length Burr performances on Netflix Instant.
Fenster writes:
Tip o’ th’ hat to UR colleague Eddie Pensier for the “five way” idea.
Here is a 5 way Lush Life. Since it’s a plural thing, make that Lushes’ Life. Or maybe Luscious Life, depending on the arrangement.
Since UR readers are busy people, the five links below are not to the entire song but only to one phrase in it. C’mon, it’ll take only a couple of minutes–play it through.
Life is lonely again,
And only last year everything seemed so sure.
Now life is awful again,
A troughful of hearts could only be a bore.*
Lush Life is a good song from which to snatch phrases since it is one of those songs called “through-composed”, i.e., it is not based on repetitions and is therefore chock full of, or trough filled with, discrete musical phrases.
The song is an interpreter’s dream, and versions vary tremendously, from the hepcat to the dolorous and everything in between. I tend to prefer the latter, and most enjoy the versions that bring out the sadness in the mood and the uncentered strangeness of the music. There are a lot of unexpected chord changes. You could say it changes key a lot but I am not sure it is in a key in the first place. As this web commenter put it, there is “no dominant”. Add to that the verses have varying bar lengths. No AABAs here, no big “come home to momma” resolutions. For these reasons, the song is considered hard to sing, as will be noted below.
First, someone who makes it look and sound easy: Sarah Vaughan.
Next up, Andy Bey’s very downbeat version. He also has the chops to nail the unconventional, shifty melody.
But what if you are not so long on chops, strictly speaking? You can still nail it, if you only know how. Blossom Dearie says that it took her “eleven years to learn” and that “it is difficult to play and even harder to sing.” Despite the fact that her voice is not huge, I think she sounds great.
Yes, if you are not blessed with a huge voice, you have to know how. Here, poor Rickie Lee Jones–a Blossom Dearie wannabe I expect–struggles through the phrase to adoring fans. Heck, she doesn’t worry about hitting the odd notes, she just talks her way through them.
Last, the Chairman of the Board. Here, in an out-take, he tries to get through the phrase and gives up. He laughingly grouses “it’s not only tough enough with the way it is, but he’s got some ‘clydes‘ in there.” He decides to put it on the shelf for a year, but it never made it to vinyl.
*(note that last line: it is listed variously on lyrics sites as “trough full”, “troughful”, “traw full” and “thoughtful”. I always thought it was “truffle”.)
Blowhard, Esq. writes:
Click on the image to enlarge.
…Sherilyn Fenn. Photograph by George Hurrell.
Blowhard, Esq. writes:
Click on the image to enlarge.
“Castle of Sin / Arthur Rex” (1978) by Frank Frazetta
Blowhard, Esq. writes:
Click on the image to enlarge.
At least until one of the editors changes things. Here’s the review being referenced.
Blowhard, Esq.
Callowman
Sherbrooke
Eddie Pensier
Enzo Nakamura
Epaminondas
Fabrizio del Wrongo
Fenster
Brundle Guy
Glynn Marshes
Paleo Retiree
Atypical Neurotic
Question Lady
Sax von Stroheim
Sir Barken Hyena
The Mistaken
Uncouth Reflections 