Guess what, guys! When I was browsing iTunes yesterday I came across the most marvellous vista ever. You have to SIT DOWN first before continuing to read.
Okay, are you sitting?
Ready?
Here goes, New Kids on the Block is coming out with a new album this September!! Isn't it just doggone terrrrrrrriffic! Finally some good news in an otherwise bleak and dark world.
Welcome back Donnie, Danny, Joey, Jordan, Jonathan!! The world went to hell since your last album.
So what if they are mostly old men, they will always be New Kids on the Block to me. Yay!
I can just see myself running across a sandy beach, with my hair braided and beaded, and my arms stretched out, ready to embrace their album cover.
I'm especially a huge fan of the New Kid with the horse face.
Disclaimer: I like horses, and I prefer horse faces on horses. Thank you.
DreamWorks Production is raising plenty of controversy with its latest comedy release Tropic Thunder, starring Ben Stiller, Robert Downey, Jr., and Jack Black. The film has come under intense criticism from advocacy groups for its negative portrayal of people with mental and learning disabilities, and its gratuitous use of the word "retard." The film makers explain that the movie is actually poking fun at the characters of the film itself, and not callously mocking individuals with learning disabilities. That explanation has done little to assuage groups such as Special Olympics, the Arc of the United States, and the National Down Syndrome Congress, who have launched a nation-wide boycott of the film and are encouraging movie goers to skip it completely. On a related note, this past July shock-jock Michael Savage described autistic children as "brats" and characterized autism as a "fraud" and a "racket." Many of the same groups boycotting DreamWorks' Tropic Thunder have called for Savage's resignation. Savage, as far as I'm aware, to this day has failed to apologize for his comments.
The contentions generated by the release of Tropic Thunder bring several issues to the forefront of discussion:
1) We, as a society, are careful not to offend certain groups by applying specific words and phrases that are seen as derogatory and inflammatory. Why should people with learning disabilities not be afforded the same sensitivities? 2) Is all this tip-toeing around certain words with certain groups political correctness run amok? Some might wonder whether it might someday be impossible to say anything about anyone without causing a row. 3) Are people who are outraged by this film simply being a little too sensitive?
I have not seen Tropic Thunder and I probably never will. But the film's controversy does highlight weighty considerations as to when too far is far enough. Michael Savage, who gets his pay raises by getting a rise out of people, probably made those imbecilic comments fully aware of the publicity it would bring both to himself and to his radio show.
In 1997 Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed a new law deceptively titled Law of Freedom of Conscience and Religious Association. This law redefined a pre-existing law that was singed in 1990 by Mikhail Gorbachev, which gave religious freedom to groups that had been oppressed and persecuted during the administration of hard line communist authorities for almost eight decades inside the Soviet Union. Ironically, this law - which had been pushed by the Russian Orthodox Church and communist party members alike - is applied not unlike the undemocratic and authoritarian methodologies of the former Soviet Union. This particular law, in a sense, illegalizes any proselytizing done by any group that is not Russian Orthodox, and makes it nearly impossible for other religions to adequately support their respective churches.
Since communist authorities prohibited seminaries to operate inside the borders of the former Soviet Union until 1990, the Catholic Church is heavily dependent on the presence of foreign clergy to administer to Russian Catholics, and maintain Russian Catholic Churches. Unfortunately, under the Law of Freedom of Conscience and Religious Association, foreign clergy can only receive a nonrenewable visa that allows them to stay for only three months inside Russia before having leave the country. Businessmen and athletes visiting Russia are NOT subject to these restrictions. Meanwhile the Catholic Church in Russia expects to continue to be heavily dependent of missionary clergy for at least another generation until newly opened seminaries can meet the demand for Catholic clergy.
There are those suffering more than Catholics. The regulations in the Law of Freedom of Conscience and Religious Association require that a religious organisation be registered with the government for a period of no less than fifteen years before it can hold public worship services, distribute any propaganda about itself, and hire foreign clergy. Protestant denominations, since they are largely dispersed and ununified, do not have the pre-existing historical connections within Russia to meet these pre-requisites.
And you thought Soviet mentality had perished for good?
By the way, perhaps I'm wrong in my evaluation but Vladimir Putin, the former President and now Prime Minister of Russia, with his KGB career reminds me of those Catholic mafiosos who engaged in some of the most reprehensible and illegal acts you can imagine, but always went to mass on Sundays and made sure their kids were baptized.
Okay, I know it's not Christmas or the Annunciation, but this chant can't wait till then to be posted. This particular piece - called "Beata viscera" (Blessed is the womb) - was written by a man named Perotinus Magister (also referred to as Perotin), who was a French composer who lived almost nine hundred years ago. This beautiful chant is characterized by austerity, profound meditation (listen to the "humming" in the background) and concentrated prayer.
The times that I've heard this chant in the past, it has been performed by a counter-tenor. This is the first time I've heard it with the tenor voice at the helm.
By the way, Perotinus Magister is just about the coolest name I've ever heard.
In this video Louis Armstrong sings "We Have All the Time in the World."
Nancy Sinatra performs "You Only Live Twice."
And last but not least, Shirley Bassey's "Moonraker."
I grew up listening to these songs and at an early age became a fan of John Barry's sweeping melodies and rich accompaniments. His music has often been characterized by a certain poignancy that makes nostalgia almost inevitable when you listen to it (see Out of Africa soundtrack).
And, yes, I'm also a fan of James Bond movies with Roger Moore and Sean Connery as my two favorite 007's.
It's called Dynamic Architecture, and it was developed by Italian architect David Fisher. A building that is completely self-powered and prefabricated means the construction time is significantly reduced, as well as the usual dangers construction crews have to face when elevating a structure of this size. What is truly unique about this architectural venture is that Fisher claims his building will not only be self-powered, but it will be able to generate enough energy to power an additional ten buildings of similar size. This plan involves placing wind turbines between the floors to harness the wind energy that blows through the building. The first building is set to go up in Dubai. Watch the videos.
Written by Spanish composer Cristobal de Morales (1500-1553) close to five hundred years ago, this chant is one of the most beautiful pieces from the Renaissance. I'm going to present to you two different versions of it, one very traditional and the other with a more progressive component.
This is the first version of the "ParcemihiDomine" and much closer Morales' original arrangement. It's beautifully imbued with serenity, profound contemplation and mysticism.
Now comes the second arrangement. This version is unique, to say the least, but not without merit. What makes this translation progressive is that it contains a saxophone in the arrangement, something that is unheard of in sacred music. When I first heard it on the CD, I oscillated between appreciation and recoil. But after hearing it a few times, I understood why I hadn't rejected it with complete disgust. This second version offers an interesting blend of the sacred and the profane, evoking an imagery that suits the feel of the arrangement: Imagine a small group of friars walking on a sidewalk, in a single file, way before the crack of dawn, in a major metropolitan city. They are making their way to a dining facility to feed the poor. Hooded, quiet, and with their arms tucked, as they walk to their destination they pass enormous buildings, banks, and other financial institutions. The city is quiet so early in the morning and the friars stare mainly at the sidewalk as they make their way to the poor, uttering prayers under their breaths. In this imagery, the chant is symbolized by the monks (sacred), and the saxophone symbolizes the city (profane). Please disregard the video of the second version since, as far as I can tell, has nothing to do with the chant. Just listen to the music.
"Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles." Olympic Charter, Fundamental principles, paragraph 2
Does the Chinese government live up to these ideals?
The International Olympic Committee has chosen China as the host nation for the 2008 summer games. China's government (NOT the Chinese people) is guilty of perpetrating on its citizens unspeakable atrocities and violations of fundamental human rights. Skip the Olympics this year and show your solidarity with the Chinese people and not the Chinese government.
