Friday, January 22, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Massachusetts Mess
I have to begin by saying, Obama was my third choice in the Democratic primary. If I'm to be truthful, he hasn't done - or not done - anything that has surprised me. In spite of the right wing mantra that he is a leftist/marxist/communist/revolutionary out to destroy western culture, he was and is far too centrist and corporatist for me.
So what happened in Massachusetts? There are already tons of folk out there commenting and there are lots of good analysis being written. This morning I read Jeffrey Feldman's take on Frameshop and it is a good one. I have a read of what happened that I haven't seen anyone else saying yet so here we go.
For thirty years the Republicans have been telling us that big government doesn't work and that politicians are not to be trusted. Then they have spent much of that time wielding their power to make that true. Inept people have been put in places of authority. Funding has been cut to important projects. Obvious needs have been ignored. The will for the common good has been supplanted by individualism. The vision of a better society has been replaced by the profit motive.
At the same time, there is something in human nature that tells us that there are some important things that cannot be done by individuals and that should not be done for profit. We saw the results of greed unchecked on wall street and sensed that profit for wealthy insiders with power was behind many of the political decisions being made. The time was ripe for change and Obama's message resonated with many. "Yes we can" spoke to many. People instinctively knew that healthcare is too important to be run as a for profit enterprise. People knew that the war in Iraq was not as it had been presented to us and that Afghanistan was a much more complicated picture than can be solved at the end of an M16. Torture and mercenaries running loose without constraint are contrary to all of the values we claim to hold as a people. People knew that our relationships with other nations are critical for our future. People sensed that some body had to rein in the excesses of large multi-nationals and banks "too big to fail." Transparency in government is central to who we should be.
Obama's campaign of hope for change hooked all of those sensibilities. And he was elected. Hope reigned. People expected the role of government to be vindicated and the common good to take center stage. People expected change to happen as quickly and completely as it had during the Republican Revolution of the 80's. Their dreams quickly evaporated. Wall street was bailed out and surged forward while bankers received huge bonuses. The auto industry was raked over the coals and ended up getting considerably less money with lots more trings attached. Auto workers took it personally and felt that once again, the system was rigged for those with money and power. Health care reform sputtered and none of the hoped for benefits materialized. Insurance companies received a windfall of millions of new customers with no constraints on their fees while those who don't buy into this new windfall are fined and those with expensive insurance plans, which may be priced that high for any number of reasons, are taxed. Any positive results seem to have been compromised right out of the bill. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue. Those who clearly broke the law in the prosecution of the war have been granted immunity. Contractors who committed crimes in Iraq are free from prosecution. Compromise, timidity, and vacillation have too often been the marks of this young administration when we needed and wanted a leader to lead us forward, working for a clear vision.
What does all of this tell us? Government doesn't work. The Republicans have won the argument. The Dems lost in Massachusetts because they have allowed the Republcans to write the script. The Republicans say "no," and the Democrats say "please," when they should be saying "fine, then we'll move forward without you." When Obama still had public opinion and momentum, he should have gone to the blue dog Dems and warned them, "You were elected on a platform of change. Tow the line or you will lose the party support and come your next election, I will personally campaign against you." Of course it is too late for that now.
So, what should the Dems do? First off, they need to stick to their guns. Learn from the Republicans and don't give in a bit. Work for the best bills and don't compromise. Feldman's advice is good. Write a jobs bill with serious meat to it and push it through without compromise. If the Republicans fight it. Use that against them. If blue dog Dems don't support it, use that against them. The time is passed when Obama needs to take off the gloves. Hopefully, it is better late than never. If it isn't then we have lost the best opportunity for substantive change in decades.
So what happened in Massachusetts? There are already tons of folk out there commenting and there are lots of good analysis being written. This morning I read Jeffrey Feldman's take on Frameshop and it is a good one. I have a read of what happened that I haven't seen anyone else saying yet so here we go.
For thirty years the Republicans have been telling us that big government doesn't work and that politicians are not to be trusted. Then they have spent much of that time wielding their power to make that true. Inept people have been put in places of authority. Funding has been cut to important projects. Obvious needs have been ignored. The will for the common good has been supplanted by individualism. The vision of a better society has been replaced by the profit motive.
At the same time, there is something in human nature that tells us that there are some important things that cannot be done by individuals and that should not be done for profit. We saw the results of greed unchecked on wall street and sensed that profit for wealthy insiders with power was behind many of the political decisions being made. The time was ripe for change and Obama's message resonated with many. "Yes we can" spoke to many. People instinctively knew that healthcare is too important to be run as a for profit enterprise. People knew that the war in Iraq was not as it had been presented to us and that Afghanistan was a much more complicated picture than can be solved at the end of an M16. Torture and mercenaries running loose without constraint are contrary to all of the values we claim to hold as a people. People knew that our relationships with other nations are critical for our future. People sensed that some body had to rein in the excesses of large multi-nationals and banks "too big to fail." Transparency in government is central to who we should be.
Obama's campaign of hope for change hooked all of those sensibilities. And he was elected. Hope reigned. People expected the role of government to be vindicated and the common good to take center stage. People expected change to happen as quickly and completely as it had during the Republican Revolution of the 80's. Their dreams quickly evaporated. Wall street was bailed out and surged forward while bankers received huge bonuses. The auto industry was raked over the coals and ended up getting considerably less money with lots more trings attached. Auto workers took it personally and felt that once again, the system was rigged for those with money and power. Health care reform sputtered and none of the hoped for benefits materialized. Insurance companies received a windfall of millions of new customers with no constraints on their fees while those who don't buy into this new windfall are fined and those with expensive insurance plans, which may be priced that high for any number of reasons, are taxed. Any positive results seem to have been compromised right out of the bill. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue. Those who clearly broke the law in the prosecution of the war have been granted immunity. Contractors who committed crimes in Iraq are free from prosecution. Compromise, timidity, and vacillation have too often been the marks of this young administration when we needed and wanted a leader to lead us forward, working for a clear vision.
What does all of this tell us? Government doesn't work. The Republicans have won the argument. The Dems lost in Massachusetts because they have allowed the Republcans to write the script. The Republicans say "no," and the Democrats say "please," when they should be saying "fine, then we'll move forward without you." When Obama still had public opinion and momentum, he should have gone to the blue dog Dems and warned them, "You were elected on a platform of change. Tow the line or you will lose the party support and come your next election, I will personally campaign against you." Of course it is too late for that now.
So, what should the Dems do? First off, they need to stick to their guns. Learn from the Republicans and don't give in a bit. Work for the best bills and don't compromise. Feldman's advice is good. Write a jobs bill with serious meat to it and push it through without compromise. If the Republicans fight it. Use that against them. If blue dog Dems don't support it, use that against them. The time is passed when Obama needs to take off the gloves. Hopefully, it is better late than never. If it isn't then we have lost the best opportunity for substantive change in decades.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Gwendolyn Strong
Gwendolyn, her dad, Bill, and her mom, Victoria, are fighting for the lives of infants.
You can be part of a miracle.
You can be part of a miracle.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Help cure SMA
Sometimes we have the opportunity to make a difference...
SMA is the #1 genetic killer of children. The children are born healthy and their minds are never impacted. Eventually their bodies fail them. 50% die before their first birthday and 90% before their second. The National Institutes of Health has coined SMA as the disease closest to treatment and that a cure is possible with adequate funding.
My wife and I have had the privilege to get to know a family with a beautiful little girl who suffers from SMA. You can learn about Gwendolyn at her website Her parents, Bill and Victoria have worked like crazy to raise funds for research. Chase Commuity Giving is giving away $1 million to the charity that receives the highest number of votes on Facebook. The next five each get $100,000. If you are on Facebook, go to Vote for SMA and vote for the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation. If you aren't on Facebook, sign up and vote. $1 million dollars for research could be just what is needed and you could save the lives of thousands of infants.
SMA is the #1 genetic killer of children. The children are born healthy and their minds are never impacted. Eventually their bodies fail them. 50% die before their first birthday and 90% before their second. The National Institutes of Health has coined SMA as the disease closest to treatment and that a cure is possible with adequate funding.
My wife and I have had the privilege to get to know a family with a beautiful little girl who suffers from SMA. You can learn about Gwendolyn at her website Her parents, Bill and Victoria have worked like crazy to raise funds for research. Chase Commuity Giving is giving away $1 million to the charity that receives the highest number of votes on Facebook. The next five each get $100,000. If you are on Facebook, go to Vote for SMA and vote for the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation. If you aren't on Facebook, sign up and vote. $1 million dollars for research could be just what is needed and you could save the lives of thousands of infants.
it's been a while
I've haven't posted for a while... life has been crazy.
so here is a video of an app for the IPhone (I don't have one)
pretty cool huh?
so here is a video of an app for the IPhone (I don't have one)
pretty cool huh?
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
sing! sing! sing!
I saw two quotes today on Facebook...
the first was posted by Len Sweet - “First we sing. Then we believe.” Abraham Heschel
The second was in a comment on Sweets post. "Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.” It is often attributed incorrectly to Plato. More likely, it is a variation on a saying from Andrew Fletcher.
Both quotes have me thinking about the way that what we sing... or even listen to... works its way into our subconsciousness and helps to shape who we are, how we think, and how we see the world around us. In church, it is obvious that the songs we sing are very important in shaping our theology. Few people remember a sermon. None speak it as they do the laundry. Many will find themselves singing a catchy tune that they sang in church later on.
But it is true beyond that. The music we listen to on the radio and sing when we aren't thinking says a lot about the way we see and experience the world. I worry about girls who listen to misogynistic rap music, to African American youth who listen to music that repeatedly calls them "niggers," to young boys who listen to music that objectifies girls as nothing more than sex objects. I'm struck by how important the role of the musician is in any culture but especially in one like ours that is so shaped by media.
I've heard Sweet play with the quote from Psalm 139 - "how can we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" asking if maybe the question church musicians should be raising is, "how can we sing a strange song in the Lord's land?" I think musicians of faith should be asking both and framing them in creative ways that both speak to culture and offer the possibility of transformation in and out of the Church. That doesn't mean that as Christians we only sing songs that mention Jesus by name. Instead, it means that we look carefully at the meaning of a song and ask the good questions - is this humanizing? does it push us towards wholeness? does this song communicate something that either makes the world a better place or shines a spotlight on an area where change is needed?
the first was posted by Len Sweet - “First we sing. Then we believe.” Abraham Heschel
The second was in a comment on Sweets post. "Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.” It is often attributed incorrectly to Plato. More likely, it is a variation on a saying from Andrew Fletcher.
Both quotes have me thinking about the way that what we sing... or even listen to... works its way into our subconsciousness and helps to shape who we are, how we think, and how we see the world around us. In church, it is obvious that the songs we sing are very important in shaping our theology. Few people remember a sermon. None speak it as they do the laundry. Many will find themselves singing a catchy tune that they sang in church later on.
But it is true beyond that. The music we listen to on the radio and sing when we aren't thinking says a lot about the way we see and experience the world. I worry about girls who listen to misogynistic rap music, to African American youth who listen to music that repeatedly calls them "niggers," to young boys who listen to music that objectifies girls as nothing more than sex objects. I'm struck by how important the role of the musician is in any culture but especially in one like ours that is so shaped by media.
I've heard Sweet play with the quote from Psalm 139 - "how can we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" asking if maybe the question church musicians should be raising is, "how can we sing a strange song in the Lord's land?" I think musicians of faith should be asking both and framing them in creative ways that both speak to culture and offer the possibility of transformation in and out of the Church. That doesn't mean that as Christians we only sing songs that mention Jesus by name. Instead, it means that we look carefully at the meaning of a song and ask the good questions - is this humanizing? does it push us towards wholeness? does this song communicate something that either makes the world a better place or shines a spotlight on an area where change is needed?
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
genius and craziness
Isn't it interesting to consider the fine line between genius and craziness? Or at least between genius and eccentricity?
I came across the below video which is an encounter between classical guitar player, John Williams and builder, Greg Smallman. Clearly Smallman is a genius and maybe a bt eccentric... He has come up with a revolutionary design for the classical guitar. From about 4:05- 5:00, we see the radical changes in the construction of the guitar's top in a Smallman guitar. Many players prefer the sound of the old style of construction, but his designs have clearly changed that way guitars are heard and built and many top builders emulate his style of construction. That said, take a look at the shop (beginning about 3:25). It certainly doesn't have the clean design, perfect tools, and careful arrangement I expect from a world class guitar builder's shop. But the proof is in the product isn't it?
at about 5:00, Williams begins to seriously play the instrument.
I came across the below video which is an encounter between classical guitar player, John Williams and builder, Greg Smallman. Clearly Smallman is a genius and maybe a bt eccentric... He has come up with a revolutionary design for the classical guitar. From about 4:05- 5:00, we see the radical changes in the construction of the guitar's top in a Smallman guitar. Many players prefer the sound of the old style of construction, but his designs have clearly changed that way guitars are heard and built and many top builders emulate his style of construction. That said, take a look at the shop (beginning about 3:25). It certainly doesn't have the clean design, perfect tools, and careful arrangement I expect from a world class guitar builder's shop. But the proof is in the product isn't it?
at about 5:00, Williams begins to seriously play the instrument.
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
espresso & coffee
About two months ago, my buddy, Hershey, had to be euthanized. Hershey had been very ill and it was clearly time to say goodbye. He had been part of our family for 17 years and was my cat. 7 years prior, his partner, Lynx, had died. A short while after that, we tried to find a new friend to live with Hershey but he wouldn't accept another cat. I became his only buddy. I miss him purring at the back of my neck when I sit on the sofa and still expect to see him when I walk into the house.
Cheryl and I have been talking about another pet or two and decided on two cats. I like dogs but we think our lifestyle would make caring for a dog too difficult. Cats can get by with a bit less attention. And I like cats too. Plus, Cheryl likes things "in their place" so any animals are a problem. We decided, or she acquiesced, to get two cats so they could entertain one another. So... the plan was to go the shelter and find a bonded pair, preferably about a year old. We didn't want to fall in love with a cat only to have it only live for a few years so we didn't want one too old and we didn't want too young because kittens can be crazy.
We seriously looked at a pair of Bengals from a rescue organization in SoCal but ended up deciding to go to the local shelter. I had scouted things out in advance and I was sold on a pair named Fran & Ollie. They were beautiful little cats and were clicker trained which was just adorable. Cheryl and I took them out of the cage and played with them a bit and... nope. It wasn't them. They weren't particularly interested in us. Tried another pair... and one of them hissed at both of us. Not them. A third pair were too timid. We were getting a bit concerned that we wouldn't find a pair. We began to look at the individual cats, thinking we could pick two but every one that seemed to reach out to us had a note on the cage, "does not like other cats." I was getting discouraged.
Next, we went to the area where the younger cats were caged and saw a pair of black and white siblings. They were cute... so we took them out to play with them. One climbed my leg. Ouch. Then, they just went wild. Typical kitten behavior. Took them back. Last chance was another pair of short-haired black kittens who were a little older than the previous pair. We opened the cage and the larger of the two immediately began to purr and wanted to be picked up. The smaller of the two watched for a few seconds and then stood to join in the fun.
We took them to the room to play and they purred the entire time, enjoyed being held, and seemed clearly to have chosen us. The one small issue was their names - Inky & Stinky. New home, new family = new names. We filled out the paper work, paid the adoption fee and home they came.
They traveled in the cat carrier very well and adjusted pretty quickly to their new home. At first it seemed as if the smaller guy was more active than the larger. And their colors are subtly different with bit more red in the smaller guy. The larger guy is closer to real black. Both have gorgeous golden eyes. Names began to present themselves - Espresso, Cacao, Cocoa, Chocolate, Cafe, Coffee, Cadbury, Beans... (see any pattern there?) Our son liked Espresso for the smaller and Coffee for the larger so that looks as if it will be their names. We still have a day or two before the names will be permanent and I'm not 100% sold on them but the rest of the family seems to be happy so... Espresso is on the left and Coffee on the right.
They're home today, by themselves for the work day. I'm a little apprehensive as to what we'll find when we get home but I am so excited about having a new buddy or two. And Cheryl? She spent most of last evening talking baby talk and scratching and petting espresso who fell asleep on her lap.
Cheryl and I have been talking about another pet or two and decided on two cats. I like dogs but we think our lifestyle would make caring for a dog too difficult. Cats can get by with a bit less attention. And I like cats too. Plus, Cheryl likes things "in their place" so any animals are a problem. We decided, or she acquiesced, to get two cats so they could entertain one another. So... the plan was to go the shelter and find a bonded pair, preferably about a year old. We didn't want to fall in love with a cat only to have it only live for a few years so we didn't want one too old and we didn't want too young because kittens can be crazy.
We seriously looked at a pair of Bengals from a rescue organization in SoCal but ended up deciding to go to the local shelter. I had scouted things out in advance and I was sold on a pair named Fran & Ollie. They were beautiful little cats and were clicker trained which was just adorable. Cheryl and I took them out of the cage and played with them a bit and... nope. It wasn't them. They weren't particularly interested in us. Tried another pair... and one of them hissed at both of us. Not them. A third pair were too timid. We were getting a bit concerned that we wouldn't find a pair. We began to look at the individual cats, thinking we could pick two but every one that seemed to reach out to us had a note on the cage, "does not like other cats." I was getting discouraged.
Next, we went to the area where the younger cats were caged and saw a pair of black and white siblings. They were cute... so we took them out to play with them. One climbed my leg. Ouch. Then, they just went wild. Typical kitten behavior. Took them back. Last chance was another pair of short-haired black kittens who were a little older than the previous pair. We opened the cage and the larger of the two immediately began to purr and wanted to be picked up. The smaller of the two watched for a few seconds and then stood to join in the fun.
We took them to the room to play and they purred the entire time, enjoyed being held, and seemed clearly to have chosen us. The one small issue was their names - Inky & Stinky. New home, new family = new names. We filled out the paper work, paid the adoption fee and home they came.
They traveled in the cat carrier very well and adjusted pretty quickly to their new home. At first it seemed as if the smaller guy was more active than the larger. And their colors are subtly different with bit more red in the smaller guy. The larger guy is closer to real black. Both have gorgeous golden eyes. Names began to present themselves - Espresso, Cacao, Cocoa, Chocolate, Cafe, Coffee, Cadbury, Beans... (see any pattern there?) Our son liked Espresso for the smaller and Coffee for the larger so that looks as if it will be their names. We still have a day or two before the names will be permanent and I'm not 100% sold on them but the rest of the family seems to be happy so... Espresso is on the left and Coffee on the right.
They're home today, by themselves for the work day. I'm a little apprehensive as to what we'll find when we get home but I am so excited about having a new buddy or two. And Cheryl? She spent most of last evening talking baby talk and scratching and petting espresso who fell asleep on her lap.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Most of us have heard about Steve Anderson - the pastor in Phoenix who has been praying that Obama would die and go to hell. For the most part, people have written him off as being a crazy who is completely on his own at the lunatic fringe. Unfortunately, he is not alone at the fringe. He represents a growing movement. There was a t shirt and bumper stickers being sold on the web with the slogan, "Pray for Obama Psalm 109:8. Sounds innocent enough. Even the verse itself falls pretty squarely in the American tradition of political discourse - "Let his days be few; and let another take his office" (KJV) It becomes much more sinister when the following verse is read - "Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow."
Nobody who purchased that t shirt or bumper sticker did so without reading the verse in its context. Nobody who wore it did so without knowing that they were calling for the death of the president of the United States. Ronald Kessler, who wrote a book about presidential security says that death threats against Obama are up 400% over George Bush. It is no wonder... people are hearing "death to the president of the US" from pulpits... and not only from radical Muslim imams in the Middle East, they are hearing it from "Christian" fundamentalist pastors in the US.
Let me say this as clearly as I can. This slogan is not funny or cute. It is heinous. These people are not "biblical" or "Christian." They are using proof texts to back up political ideologies and trying to bolster their cases by attributing their views to God. And finally, any Christian who does not condemn these misuses of the Bible and of Christian theology is culpable for anything that may happen.
Nobody who purchased that t shirt or bumper sticker did so without reading the verse in its context. Nobody who wore it did so without knowing that they were calling for the death of the president of the United States. Ronald Kessler, who wrote a book about presidential security says that death threats against Obama are up 400% over George Bush. It is no wonder... people are hearing "death to the president of the US" from pulpits... and not only from radical Muslim imams in the Middle East, they are hearing it from "Christian" fundamentalist pastors in the US.
Let me say this as clearly as I can. This slogan is not funny or cute. It is heinous. These people are not "biblical" or "Christian." They are using proof texts to back up political ideologies and trying to bolster their cases by attributing their views to God. And finally, any Christian who does not condemn these misuses of the Bible and of Christian theology is culpable for anything that may happen.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
one voice - wrong voice
In academia, when multiple students hand in papers with identical sections, the automatic assumption is that either one of them copied from the other or both copied from a third source. The best that can happen is an "F." The worst is that the student is expelled from the institution. Imagine what would happen if 20 or 42 students handed in essentially the same paper?
That is more or less what happened in congress. An article in The New York Times reports that a written statement by Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina on the health care bill was identical to one by Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer. And 20 Democrats and 22 Republicans used very similar language in statements they presented. Coincidence? Not likely. It turns out that the language was provided by lobbyists for Genentech, one of the world's largest biotechnology firms that just happens to be a subsidiary of a Swiss pharmaceutical company, Roche. Wilson & Luetkemeyer weren't even creative enough to make the words their own. They just parroted the lobbyists. 40 other representatives joined in the chorus.
Now, we wonder why health care reform has gotten nowhere. It is clearly because the discussion is controlled by those with large amounts of money and clear agendas that have little to do with controlling cost or providing the best health care possible. If these representatives had handed those statements in in many universities, they would be out before the end of the week. Let us at least call them on their irresponsibility and push them to represent us rather than the moneyed interests of big pharm and the insurance industry.
That is more or less what happened in congress. An article in The New York Times reports that a written statement by Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina on the health care bill was identical to one by Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer. And 20 Democrats and 22 Republicans used very similar language in statements they presented. Coincidence? Not likely. It turns out that the language was provided by lobbyists for Genentech, one of the world's largest biotechnology firms that just happens to be a subsidiary of a Swiss pharmaceutical company, Roche. Wilson & Luetkemeyer weren't even creative enough to make the words their own. They just parroted the lobbyists. 40 other representatives joined in the chorus.
Now, we wonder why health care reform has gotten nowhere. It is clearly because the discussion is controlled by those with large amounts of money and clear agendas that have little to do with controlling cost or providing the best health care possible. If these representatives had handed those statements in in many universities, they would be out before the end of the week. Let us at least call them on their irresponsibility and push them to represent us rather than the moneyed interests of big pharm and the insurance industry.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
little green men
Evidently truth imitates fiction. One of my favorite books of all time is The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. It is the story of an expedition mounted by the Roman Catholic Church to encounter intelligent life on another planet. It is a wonderful book that shows how expectations color perception, understanding culture is crucial to meaningful communication, and how badly we can screw things up when we don't fully appreciate those two rules. I think all church leaders should read them both.
The Vatican just concluded its first conference on astrobiology. On the one hand, I more than a little puzzled at why this is a theological issue. On the other hand, I hope, but doubt, they came up with some good answers. At the very least, I am encouraged to re-read The Sparrow and its sequel, Children of God again. - wonderful, provocative books.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Sara Tavares concert review
We saw Sara Tavares and her amazing band last night at the Skirball Center in LA. The short version of the review is, "if you have the opportunity, GO! And be willing to drive a good distance to see her."
Sara Tavares was born in Cape Verde but spent most of her life living in Portugal. Her music is a wonderful blend of African, Portuguese, Brazilian, and US R&B.
The show attracted a very interesting crowd. There were significant numbers of Cape Verdeans there as well as Portuguese nationals - she asked. Then there was a large group that probably reflected the typical Skirball crowd - middle aged and up, middle class and up, white folk. And a smaller group of twenty somethings who know great world music. The venue is a wonderful one with reasonably good sound and a real sense of intimacy. I would guess it seats around 300. Every seat felt very close to the stage. I would certainly go there again to see another show. Every seat was full, at least for the period when people were actually sitting. It wasn't long before everyone was up, dancing to the music.
Her band is a drummer, percussionist, bass, ukulele/electric guitar, and herself on vocals and nylon string guitar. The band is as tight as any I have ever seen, pulling off wonderful polyrhythms without a blink and starting and stopping on a dime. Most important though is that they were obviously having fun. This isn't just a job for them, it is obviously a passion filled with joy and a true sense of community. I've seen many shows with great musicians who each seemed to be in their own world. Things sounded good but I didn't feel as if they were really playing together. It was more like the parallel play child psychologists talk about in young children. This band was a unit and they were playing together.
The ukulele was especially interesting as the player used a lot of signal processing and looped it on more than one song. It added a great sound and texture to the mix. (He has me looking at them online this morning). He played it on well over half of the tunes. The percussion player caused my jaw to drop more than once and he and the drummer seemed almost to be attached to one another.
Sara Tavares is a lovely presence on the stage, glowing... but never overpowering her excellent band. She is also a good guitar player and has a haunting voice. She was obviously having fun too.
Joy permeated the entire performance. Even a soulful ballad (like the one in the video below) exuded a sense of joy and beauty. The upbeat tunes, most of the show, had the entire audience wishing there was a real dance floor available.
I don't know were she is in her tour, but I highly, highly recommend seeing her if you can. And if you can't see her, there is a DVD available of a live performance. I haven't seen any of it other than the three clips on youtube but if her show last night is at all representative of that disk, it is well worth owning.
here's a clip from the DVD of a ballad - Nha Cretcheu
Sara Tavares was born in Cape Verde but spent most of her life living in Portugal. Her music is a wonderful blend of African, Portuguese, Brazilian, and US R&B.
The show attracted a very interesting crowd. There were significant numbers of Cape Verdeans there as well as Portuguese nationals - she asked. Then there was a large group that probably reflected the typical Skirball crowd - middle aged and up, middle class and up, white folk. And a smaller group of twenty somethings who know great world music. The venue is a wonderful one with reasonably good sound and a real sense of intimacy. I would guess it seats around 300. Every seat felt very close to the stage. I would certainly go there again to see another show. Every seat was full, at least for the period when people were actually sitting. It wasn't long before everyone was up, dancing to the music.
Her band is a drummer, percussionist, bass, ukulele/electric guitar, and herself on vocals and nylon string guitar. The band is as tight as any I have ever seen, pulling off wonderful polyrhythms without a blink and starting and stopping on a dime. Most important though is that they were obviously having fun. This isn't just a job for them, it is obviously a passion filled with joy and a true sense of community. I've seen many shows with great musicians who each seemed to be in their own world. Things sounded good but I didn't feel as if they were really playing together. It was more like the parallel play child psychologists talk about in young children. This band was a unit and they were playing together.
The ukulele was especially interesting as the player used a lot of signal processing and looped it on more than one song. It added a great sound and texture to the mix. (He has me looking at them online this morning). He played it on well over half of the tunes. The percussion player caused my jaw to drop more than once and he and the drummer seemed almost to be attached to one another.
Sara Tavares is a lovely presence on the stage, glowing... but never overpowering her excellent band. She is also a good guitar player and has a haunting voice. She was obviously having fun too.
Joy permeated the entire performance. Even a soulful ballad (like the one in the video below) exuded a sense of joy and beauty. The upbeat tunes, most of the show, had the entire audience wishing there was a real dance floor available.
I don't know were she is in her tour, but I highly, highly recommend seeing her if you can. And if you can't see her, there is a DVD available of a live performance. I haven't seen any of it other than the three clips on youtube but if her show last night is at all representative of that disk, it is well worth owning.
here's a clip from the DVD of a ballad - Nha Cretcheu
Thursday, November 05, 2009
little things & the melody of life
I'm in the process of changing picks. "What?" you think... "why would anyone worry about something as little as that?"
It makes a difference. The material, the shape, the edge of whatever strikes the string affects the tone and even what you can or cannot play. The little things are important.
I used to play with just my nails most of the time. I'm not a stereotypical fingerstyle player. I don't have the grace and touch that many of them have. Often, I used my nails, especially my index finger, almost like flatpicks. Occasionally, when I broke a nail, I would get an artificial nail applied at the nail salon and liked the sound and feel of the false nail but didn't like what it did to my natural nail or what happened when it was getting to the end of its life and began to catch the string on the trailing edge of the nail. OUCH! So as quickly as possible, I'd try to get back to my natural nail. And that worked OK. I tried fingerpicks and they just don't work and I considered just going to artificial nails as a permanent solution but didn't want to go there...
Then we moved to CA and I found myself playing electric guitar. The strings are much thinner and did terrible things to my nails so I went to a flatpick. Unfortunately, I hold the flatpick very close to the tip and my index finger nail hits the strings along with the pick... which damages that nail even more. So I began using a flatpick on acoustic as well most of the time... which just exacerbates the chips that I get from using the flatpick. So I've been using flatpicks... only they come in scores of sizes, shapes, and materials.
The holy grail of picks is made from real tortoise shell. Of course, it is illegal and immoral so I don't have any of them and never will. Word is that they sound amazing and are the best feel of any pick. Many modern pick companies are trying to replicate that sound and feel without killing sea turtles for the material.
When I used to play electric, I used these wonderful little ivory or bone picks that were made from the tops of old piano keys. They sound very organic and feel good but they are hard to find, break, and can be expensive. And of course, ivory has its own issues of legality and morality. I still have a few and I have a few bone blanks from old piano keys... I may end up going back to them.
I really like the V picks on electric guitar. I love the way they slide through the string and the fat solid pick just feels right in my hand. At $4 they're expensive compared to the $.25 pick you get at the local Best Buy but not compared to some of the other picks out there. I tried them on acoustic and they're OK... but the make a funny chirping sound as they wear so on to something else for acoustic.
I'm waiting for an order of Wegen picks. I've heard good things about them... that they approach the sound and feel of tortoise shell. I'm hoping they work well. We'll see. At about the same price as the V pick, I can easily justify a bunch of them.
There are a couple of companies out there making expensive picks. Blue Chip & Red Bear are the most visible right now and both are generating a lot of buzz and lots of true believers. At $20 for a Red Bear and $35 for a Blue Chip, they aren't throw away picks... but if they do what they say, maybe they're worth it. One of these days I'll order at least one of each. And of course, if I like them, I'll need two for each guitar case...
I could tell you that each material and even the shape of a pick change the sound of your playing and the way you play and I would be telling you the truth. There is more to it though... it is the small things that, added together, make up our lives. It is the little details, the little acts, the daily habits, that make us who we are. So, as I search for the right pick... I'm thinking of it as a metaphor for my life. Each day I make hundreds of small choices, many of them unconsciously, all of which affect the melody that is my life. They dictate who I will be and even who I can be. The little things matter.
It makes a difference. The material, the shape, the edge of whatever strikes the string affects the tone and even what you can or cannot play. The little things are important.
I used to play with just my nails most of the time. I'm not a stereotypical fingerstyle player. I don't have the grace and touch that many of them have. Often, I used my nails, especially my index finger, almost like flatpicks. Occasionally, when I broke a nail, I would get an artificial nail applied at the nail salon and liked the sound and feel of the false nail but didn't like what it did to my natural nail or what happened when it was getting to the end of its life and began to catch the string on the trailing edge of the nail. OUCH! So as quickly as possible, I'd try to get back to my natural nail. And that worked OK. I tried fingerpicks and they just don't work and I considered just going to artificial nails as a permanent solution but didn't want to go there...
Then we moved to CA and I found myself playing electric guitar. The strings are much thinner and did terrible things to my nails so I went to a flatpick. Unfortunately, I hold the flatpick very close to the tip and my index finger nail hits the strings along with the pick... which damages that nail even more. So I began using a flatpick on acoustic as well most of the time... which just exacerbates the chips that I get from using the flatpick. So I've been using flatpicks... only they come in scores of sizes, shapes, and materials.
The holy grail of picks is made from real tortoise shell. Of course, it is illegal and immoral so I don't have any of them and never will. Word is that they sound amazing and are the best feel of any pick. Many modern pick companies are trying to replicate that sound and feel without killing sea turtles for the material.
When I used to play electric, I used these wonderful little ivory or bone picks that were made from the tops of old piano keys. They sound very organic and feel good but they are hard to find, break, and can be expensive. And of course, ivory has its own issues of legality and morality. I still have a few and I have a few bone blanks from old piano keys... I may end up going back to them.
I really like the V picks on electric guitar. I love the way they slide through the string and the fat solid pick just feels right in my hand. At $4 they're expensive compared to the $.25 pick you get at the local Best Buy but not compared to some of the other picks out there. I tried them on acoustic and they're OK... but the make a funny chirping sound as they wear so on to something else for acoustic.
I'm waiting for an order of Wegen picks. I've heard good things about them... that they approach the sound and feel of tortoise shell. I'm hoping they work well. We'll see. At about the same price as the V pick, I can easily justify a bunch of them.
There are a couple of companies out there making expensive picks. Blue Chip & Red Bear are the most visible right now and both are generating a lot of buzz and lots of true believers. At $20 for a Red Bear and $35 for a Blue Chip, they aren't throw away picks... but if they do what they say, maybe they're worth it. One of these days I'll order at least one of each. And of course, if I like them, I'll need two for each guitar case...
I could tell you that each material and even the shape of a pick change the sound of your playing and the way you play and I would be telling you the truth. There is more to it though... it is the small things that, added together, make up our lives. It is the little details, the little acts, the daily habits, that make us who we are. So, as I search for the right pick... I'm thinking of it as a metaphor for my life. Each day I make hundreds of small choices, many of them unconsciously, all of which affect the melody that is my life. They dictate who I will be and even who I can be. The little things matter.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
denominations
I have been an American Baptist since seminary in the mid 70's. I am committed to the Baptist understanding of the church in what I would call, its best expressions. At the same time, I have little hope for the denomination... for any of the denominations.
Here's a fun video made about the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America but with a few changes in text it certainly could apply to the ABC or to any other current denomination.
We spend soooo much time fighting over issues, writing reports, and forming committees, all the while forgetting to do real ministry or even to take prophetic stands. I worry that none of the mainline churches will make it through the next century.
I don't have any more hope for the fundamentalists, evangelicals, or megachurch movements. They spend too much time and energy on what they perceive to be hot sins and fighting against positive changes in culture, often dress the gospel in the dress of self-help, and in any cases have bought int the most pernicious parts of the current culture - faith as a consumer product, that I don't expect they will make it through the century either.
A few years ago I had hope for the emerging church. I saw a bunch of fearless, committed, young men and women struggling with post modern questions while at the same time being committed to hands on mission in their contexts. They were neither conservatives nor liberals, but had by-passed those energy wasting battles. And they were starting little churches, mostly in urban neighborhoods, and getting on with the work of the church. Unfortunately, the movement seems to have taken a serious turn to the right. Most of the true post-moderns have given up on any institutional expressions of faith. Like many young adults, they seem to have been a bit impatient and overly optimistic about their little movement. It didn't change the world and they got frustrated and gave up or the realities of institutional life were too much. In the meantime, the face of the emerging church has been co-opted by the mega-church movement who treat it as one more franchise through which they can sell a old fashioned conservative gospel. Add some tables, get a bit artsy fartsy, play some techno in the background and maybe even have some litanies from the 12th century church and images of celtic crosses and you can catch a few college students and get them saved and teach them about the evils of homosexuality, women's rights, abortion, etc. It ain't the same movement, friends.
I want to have hope. I am still committed to the institution of the "church," indeed, I don't think it is possible to be a follower of Jesus outside of a community of faith worshiping, serving, and struggling together. I want to have hope... more later.
Here's a fun video made about the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America but with a few changes in text it certainly could apply to the ABC or to any other current denomination.
We spend soooo much time fighting over issues, writing reports, and forming committees, all the while forgetting to do real ministry or even to take prophetic stands. I worry that none of the mainline churches will make it through the next century.
I don't have any more hope for the fundamentalists, evangelicals, or megachurch movements. They spend too much time and energy on what they perceive to be hot sins and fighting against positive changes in culture, often dress the gospel in the dress of self-help, and in any cases have bought int the most pernicious parts of the current culture - faith as a consumer product, that I don't expect they will make it through the century either.
A few years ago I had hope for the emerging church. I saw a bunch of fearless, committed, young men and women struggling with post modern questions while at the same time being committed to hands on mission in their contexts. They were neither conservatives nor liberals, but had by-passed those energy wasting battles. And they were starting little churches, mostly in urban neighborhoods, and getting on with the work of the church. Unfortunately, the movement seems to have taken a serious turn to the right. Most of the true post-moderns have given up on any institutional expressions of faith. Like many young adults, they seem to have been a bit impatient and overly optimistic about their little movement. It didn't change the world and they got frustrated and gave up or the realities of institutional life were too much. In the meantime, the face of the emerging church has been co-opted by the mega-church movement who treat it as one more franchise through which they can sell a old fashioned conservative gospel. Add some tables, get a bit artsy fartsy, play some techno in the background and maybe even have some litanies from the 12th century church and images of celtic crosses and you can catch a few college students and get them saved and teach them about the evils of homosexuality, women's rights, abortion, etc. It ain't the same movement, friends.
I want to have hope. I am still committed to the institution of the "church," indeed, I don't think it is possible to be a follower of Jesus outside of a community of faith worshiping, serving, and struggling together. I want to have hope... more later.
Friday, October 09, 2009
what's good for the goose
I am absolutely and completely against organizations or corporations defrauding the government. I don't know enough about the complaints against ACORN to have an opinion as to whether they are justified or not. I know there is a lot of ideological stuff going on, but that doesn't tell us anything about the conduct of ACORN.
We do know, beyond a doubt, that a number of large corporations have defrauded the people of the United States. A number were even prosecuted by the Bush administration, not an administration known for being anti-large corporations. Why not hold them to at least the standard being proposed for ACORN. If a company defrauds the government, they are no longer eligible to receive government contracts.
We do know, beyond a doubt, that a number of large corporations have defrauded the people of the United States. A number were even prosecuted by the Bush administration, not an administration known for being anti-large corporations. Why not hold them to at least the standard being proposed for ACORN. If a company defrauds the government, they are no longer eligible to receive government contracts.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
political contributions
Here's a very interesting page with some useful graphics that show how different companies contribute to the Democratic and/or Republican parties.
It will help me decide how I spend my money.
It will help me decide how I spend my money.
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