Democracy, Davis concluded, was at odds with effective population control and stability in Asia; the only political system for the continent’s mushrooming megacities was a “strong government that stands in contrast to the populace in skill as well as power…
After a week of being missing in action in Mexico, Gabacho returns with his final installment of his “Fishing with Grandpa Joe.” He took advantage of the week off to scribble a ton of notes on his favorite topics: relationships, good books, food, and other…
- Anthony Davis trademarked his unibrow phrases. Here is one of his phrases: raise the brow. So I decided to trademark the word gutter – it means better in my version. Here is one of my phrases: it’s much gutter in the shade than the sun.
- Another one of my phrases is: ROAR!! It does not need much sleep!!!! (By “It” I mean “me”) I like to point at myself and say: IT does NOT need much sleep.
- Fiction is boring right now. Non-fiction is gutter. Science is really gutter.
Editor’s Note: This review first appeared November 18, 2010.
For the last week, I have been thinking of what to write about for my first post on an internet blog. Since the practice of blogging usually seems personal, I decided to write on experiences that contribute to the thinking process that promotes the art-creation process. I’m intrigued by creativity: where do ideas come from? I thought that by blogging on readings, exhibitions, and other input that spark thinking, we might shed a bit of light on the output.
For my 30th birthday I booked a ticket to Berlin to visit two concurrent exhibitions at the Kunstmuseum in Wolfsburg: Rudolf Steiner’s first retrospective (originally organized by the Vitra Museum in Basel): “Alchemy of the Everyday” and an exhibition on his influence on contemporary artists: “Rudolf Steiner and Contemporary Art.” In due time, Steiner got the institutional recognition he deserves.
The school did not have the facilities, teachers or technology to accommodate the 315 students the state approved them to accept. New Living Word was accepted in compliance with the state’s approval, which did not include site visits. Questions to the department and an email obtained by The News-Star support the department’s initial statements that it “left it up to the parents” to determine if a site met their needs.
Editor’s Note: This post first appeared September 19, 2010.
CHICAGO – One of the funniest things I’ve heard in many years was said to me by a co-worker, a lifelong Chicagoan.
“There’s no such thing as a Chicago accent,” he said.
I laugh every time I think of it.
Of course, like everyone else who grew up here, he pronounced “Chicago” as “Shuh-CAW-go,” and, as well-educated as he is, I bet that after a beer or two, he would have said “dere” and “t’ing.”
He said it with a straight face, and he meant it. (Not like the Facebook group, “There is no such thing as a Chicago accent!,” which appears to have been started by individuals who, in fact, believe the opposite.)
“Dis’s hayer sapose ta tawk. Dis’s narmal. Ever’wun eltz tawks funny.”
All right, now I’m exaggerating. And I’d agree that there is no such thing as the Chicago accent. There are, of course, several. It’s a very diverse city. Ukrainians and African-Americans and Vietnamese and Assyrians and Bosnians all have their own accents. As do Uptown Kentuckians and the few remaining Andersonville Swedes. The most prominently parodied Chicago accent is a dialect that is mainly found among the white working class – specifically, white working class individuals who were born and raised here. Due to demographic changes, that accent is quite noticeably on the decline.
He is an old man, and on first inspection he seems like the kind of old man who would eat dog food out of a can because he can afford nothing better. His clothes are not synthetic. He wears a brown blazer with missing buttons….
I go along
like everything is regular
like everything is run of the mill
but snapping awake
or being the last to lock up
or the wind in the trees
Editor’s Note: This review first appeared May 13, 2011.
My knowledge of Nottingham, UK, extends to the Robin Hood movies I grew up watching as a kid courtesy of WGN Family Classics (featuring Douglas Fairbanks) and Disney (with a cartoon fox). I don’t know much of its music scene, yet I’ve been obsessing lately over instrumental recordings from a pair of bands that hail from there — Kogumaza and Souvaris.
With all the yap-yap and chatter by the talking pixels of the 24/7 cable news/internet, my brain needs a break. I don’t always have the attention span for listening to songs. What I particularly enjoy about a well done instrumental is the freedom it allows me to imagine. No whiny, sappy, heartbroken, political or obtuse lyrics to badly date an era. Just get right to the good stuff.
Kogumaza is a trio that create a dense, cinematic experience on their self-titled release that just came out this week. The two-track download plays like an LP (if you don’t actually buy the vinyl). Each side features a four-piece suite of ambient, hypnotically droning, reverberating guitars; fuzzed out bass and drums cleverly stitched together. The approach is simple and well-crafted, never proggy or flashy.
He did not own much, nor did he care to. His life was what he thought suited him. He lived in a one-bedroom walk-up on the north side of Chicago, conveniently unclose to shopping, entertainment and transportation. He did not own a car. He did…
Editor’s Note: This drink first appeared November 11, 2010.
Here’s another drink, my own. It’s good, y’all.
Cherry Baby
2 oz gin (I recommend Plymouth or Citadel.)
1 oz Cherry Heering
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz lemon juice
2-3 dashes of Peychaud bitters
Luxardo cherry for garnish
Editor’s Note: This post originally appeared November 27, 2011. Coco Robicheaux passed away Friday evening. Much has been written about the man, his music, his artistry, his character and his seemingly mythical background. Much more will be written. Many of us spent yesterday between tears…