Sheena's Remembrance post says it all.
Family members and loved ones who served, and who are serving; countrymen and countrywomen who have served, and are serving; I salute you.
Showing posts with label causes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label causes. Show all posts
11 November 2008
29 July 2008
It Could Happen to You!
Don't let this happen:
"Official Energy Drink" from marriedtothesea.com
But it's ok if this happens - really!
From MoveOn.org
And since I'm on the subject of politics, check out Sean Tevis' xkcd-style campaign for a state representative spot in Kansas. Schweet!
"Official Energy Drink" from marriedtothesea.comBut it's ok if this happens - really!
From MoveOn.org
And since I'm on the subject of politics, check out Sean Tevis' xkcd-style campaign for a state representative spot in Kansas. Schweet!
22 May 2007
500 Songs for Kids
Caught the last night a couple of weeks back of an industrious inaugural benefit concert series known as 500 Songs for Kids. Over 10 nights, 500 different acts played Rolling Stone Magazine's 500 greatest songs of all time (a 2004 issue).
The down side of listening to songs 46 (by the time I made it inside - long ass-line!) all the way to #1: too much smoke, standing for over 6 hours, and the long wait times for some acts to set up or clear out.
But many, many upsides. Dionne Farris (of former Arrested Development fame) sang the #6 song, Aretha Franklin's "R-E-S-P-E-C-T". Pete Yorn delivered #2, John Lennon's "Imagine".
My 3 favorite performances were 2 without lyrics, and one all about them. A string group (I failed to write down their name) rendered Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" in fine fashion. You'll have to crank the volume to do the strings justice, as they weren't plugged in and only picked up by the mikes on stage.
My second favorite performance was by a local jazz group known as Jazzspects. Fantastic delivery of The Beach Boys' "God Only Knows." Play this - it is an unsuck listen!
Best performance was Sanjay Kothari's "One" by U2. Wow. His voice, phrasing, and guitar chops were superlative. He was also one of the organizers of the benefit, working his keester off the entire night. When his hibernation is over and sleep restores his sanity, I'm looking forward to catching him around Atlanta. (I have a vid of his performance, but this broad who claims to have recently joined a band of her own can be overheard singing harmony along with Sanjay. If you want to hear it anyway, say so in comments and I can post the vid there).
The down side of listening to songs 46 (by the time I made it inside - long ass-line!) all the way to #1: too much smoke, standing for over 6 hours, and the long wait times for some acts to set up or clear out.
But many, many upsides. Dionne Farris (of former Arrested Development fame) sang the #6 song, Aretha Franklin's "R-E-S-P-E-C-T". Pete Yorn delivered #2, John Lennon's "Imagine".
My 3 favorite performances were 2 without lyrics, and one all about them. A string group (I failed to write down their name) rendered Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" in fine fashion. You'll have to crank the volume to do the strings justice, as they weren't plugged in and only picked up by the mikes on stage.
My second favorite performance was by a local jazz group known as Jazzspects. Fantastic delivery of The Beach Boys' "God Only Knows." Play this - it is an unsuck listen!
Best performance was Sanjay Kothari's "One" by U2. Wow. His voice, phrasing, and guitar chops were superlative. He was also one of the organizers of the benefit, working his keester off the entire night. When his hibernation is over and sleep restores his sanity, I'm looking forward to catching him around Atlanta. (I have a vid of his performance, but this broad who claims to have recently joined a band of her own can be overheard singing harmony along with Sanjay. If you want to hear it anyway, say so in comments and I can post the vid there).
30 March 2007
Talk Straight
As discussed previously, a new unsuck listen is Chapel Hill's The Old Ceremony. Kimplicated had the brazen audacity to ditch me as my concert consort for their return to Atlanta and Smith's Olde Bar. Wench is in China. The audacity! New recruit accompanied.
Not the turn out they deserved, but an appreciative audience all the same. Was bummed that the strings didn't come with - the cello and fiddle add such dynamic layers to the soundage.
The new CD hasn't struck me yet as a whole, but different songs bonk me over the head during their live performance. This time, it was Talk Straight.
"Talk straight, talk straight, so I can relate
Don't insinuate, please don't mumble"
Enunciation and diction are companions in Kernan the Grammarian's druthers bucket. Have to *really* work at *not* pronouncing stuff when singing in the band (Otter and Boone, your Twelve Hands and Feet ghosts haunt me). Malapropisms and misprounciations so very much suck - as discussed here in CountryMouse's recent The Peevies post.
Important too is clarity. To be understood. To be brave and say the tough things, with honesty. To praise the positive instead of our cultural propensity to bitch and moan.
"You may lose some friends, but baby, in the end
It's better to defend than to cower
And as for me
If you cut me I will bleed
But I've come to believe that the truth has a healing power
If you only talk straight"
Cheek-captured video was of the suck variety. YouTube not only yielded a professionally produced video, but it's for a cause:
Carolina for Kibera.
Run by Kenyans and advised by American and Kenyan volunteers, CFK's primary mission is to promote youth leadership and ethnic and gender cooperation in Kibera through sports, young women's empowerment, and community development. Additionally, CFK works to improve basic healthcare, sanitation, and education in Kibera.
Check it out now, funk soul brothah.
Not the turn out they deserved, but an appreciative audience all the same. Was bummed that the strings didn't come with - the cello and fiddle add such dynamic layers to the soundage.
The new CD hasn't struck me yet as a whole, but different songs bonk me over the head during their live performance. This time, it was Talk Straight.
"Talk straight, talk straight, so I can relate
Don't insinuate, please don't mumble"
Enunciation and diction are companions in Kernan the Grammarian's druthers bucket. Have to *really* work at *not* pronouncing stuff when singing in the band (Otter and Boone, your Twelve Hands and Feet ghosts haunt me). Malapropisms and misprounciations so very much suck - as discussed here in CountryMouse's recent The Peevies post.
Important too is clarity. To be understood. To be brave and say the tough things, with honesty. To praise the positive instead of our cultural propensity to bitch and moan.
"You may lose some friends, but baby, in the end
It's better to defend than to cower
And as for me
If you cut me I will bleed
But I've come to believe that the truth has a healing power
If you only talk straight"
Cheek-captured video was of the suck variety. YouTube not only yielded a professionally produced video, but it's for a cause:
Carolina for Kibera.
Run by Kenyans and advised by American and Kenyan volunteers, CFK's primary mission is to promote youth leadership and ethnic and gender cooperation in Kibera through sports, young women's empowerment, and community development. Additionally, CFK works to improve basic healthcare, sanitation, and education in Kibera.
Check it out now, funk soul brothah.
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