Monthly Archives: January 2010
Joys of Winter Can’t Be Destroyed by News Media Whining, Christian Dualism
I’d finished my work and was feeling cooped in and oppressed by the home renovation going on above me. So I threw the snowshoes into the car, and drove a half-hour to Mill Creek Canyon’s Elbow Fork. It was a … Continue reading
To My Friends and Family: Read About “Soliphilia” and You Will Understand Me
Soliphilia: the love of and responsibility for a place, bioregion, planet and the unity of interrelated interests within it. – Glenn Albrecht, Australian philosopher http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/magazine/31ecopsych-t.html I spent my entire life looking for a place I loved and felt connected with. … Continue reading
State of the Union: Right-Wing Whining Precedes Despite Reality of Improvement
I am the last man standing. I know what his (Obama’s) politics are. I know what his plans are, as he has stated them. I don’t want them to succeed. I hope he fails. – Rush Limbaugh I can’t say I’m a … Continue reading
Farewell to Vinyl: Nilsson’s “Jump Into the Fire” Pegs the Volume and the Fun Meter
In a business replete with enigmatic characters, Harry Nilsson stood out. His successes were few and he died way too young at 52. But he always sounded like he was having fun- too much probably. His biggest album was this one, … Continue reading
Avatar: Dangerous Cartoon or Greatest Movie Ever?
“Nature is no longer a creation to defend, but a divinity to worship.” – Vatican radio “Why drive to the movies, pay for tickets and spend hours in a dark room when you can just as easily read Noam Chomsky or the … Continue reading
Why Air America Failed: Not Old, White, Male or Sad Enough
My reaction was similar to most when I saw the headline: “Air America Ceases Operations.” It was “are they still on the air?” The liberal voice to counter screaming-lunatics radio during the awful Bush years never really had a chance … Continue reading
Farewell to Vinyl: Gato Barbieri’s “Last Tango in Paris” Unparalleled Composition, Playing
Many believe “Last Tango in Paris” was an erotic masterpiece. The only thing erotic about it was Maria Schneider’s performance, not Marlon Brando (in the album cover right) who played the predictable dirty old man despite his character’s complex personality. Either way, the … Continue reading
Farewell to Vinyl: Digitizing My Record Collection Continues with Al Jarreau’s “Breakin’ Away”
You can tell by the dirt on the cover that I’ve played this one a lot since it arrived in 1981. I’d just moved to Denver as a big-shot reporter, disco was dead, and computers, synths and other machines were … Continue reading
Adobe Audition Makes Old Records Sound Better Than New
I have a lot of old vinyl record albums. Not as many as some people and not the ones everybody else has i.e. Dark Side of the Moon, the Beatles’ White Album, Hair. But unlike most album owners, I still … Continue reading
Winter is the Best
When I tell people that my favorite seasons are autumn and winter, they look at me as if they ate something they found at the bottom of the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator. It’s not that I don’t like spring … Continue reading
