Cool Summer Music

Well, it's almost summer anyways, enjoy!

Wish I was here...

Maui at sunset.

They don't make'm like they used to

One of the great passions in my life is music. And one of the most influential genres of music (for me) was/is hip hop. Now, don't laugh. I'm serious. Of course, the stuff that they play on the radio now of days can barely be characterized as Hip Hop and it sure the hell isn't music. The genre has fallen off so much that it's really depressing. There are the exceptions, but they really are few and far between, and for every Common and Mos Def, there are 20 50-cents and Paul Wall's.

I guess I was spoiled in college. I think Hip Hop reached its height of popularity and quality in the mid 90's (specifically 1992-1996). I was attending college at the time and needless to say, Hip Hop culture influenced every nuance of my life. People criticize the culture as being violent and masoginistic, but not all Hip Hop is like this. And more importantly, thie genre of music isn't the only one to hold a mirror to the problems of society. And that's really what it is. Real Hip Hop (at its essence) gives inner city youth a voice. A way to express themselves and what they see and live through.

Thanks to my friends at HHE (Hip Hop Elements.COM) I found some old gems from the golden era of Hip Hop. The first is a clip from the Arsenio Hall Show finale that features Yoyo, MC Lyte, Naughty By Nature, A Tribe Called Quest, Fu Schnickens, CL Smooth, Guru, Das EFX, the Wu Tang Clan, KRS One, and Mad Lion.



The next clip is from the classic MTV Show, YO! MTV Raps. It was their 7th anniversary and the last YO! Mtv Raps show ever. They had a freestyle session that is broken into 2 parts below. The freestylers (in order) are Rakim, KRS-One, Eric Sermon, Chubb Rock and MC Search in part 1. Part 2 featured: Redman, Method Man, Extra P, Special Ed, and Craig Mack.

I miss REAL Hip Hop. Here's to hoping that it makes a comeback.

My end is my beginning...

...With all apologies to Mary I of Scottland, this phrase does not make me think of 16th century history (it's the title of Mary's autobiography). Instead, I equate this phrase with a symbol. That symbol is called an Ouroboros and it represents the cyclical nature of life and the essence of our very existence. I'm getting ahead of myself though, so let me back up and start from the beginning... or is it the end?

I was visiting various blogs, as I have been apt to do since starting this one, when I came across a particular post at a site named thptpth . The title of the post was "I am a snake head eating the head on the opposite side". Thanks to my buddy Mike (co-owner of the very cool business Anahuak Designs) I know that this symbol is called an Ouroboros. Just about every culture that has ever existed on this earth has had its own version of the Ouroboros (regardless of continent or time in which the civilization thrived). The Aztec version looks something like this:


the ancient Egyptians (independent of the aztecs) created this symbol:

here's the Japanese version, Pre 1400.


How can so many different cultures create the same symbol independently of each other? What is it about this symbol that speaks to so many divergent cultures on all sides of the globe? The answer has to do with the very nature of our existence.

The Ouroboros has several meanings interwoven into it. The serpent biting, devouring, eating its own tail symbolizes the cyclical nature of the universe. Creation out of destruction, life out of death. The snake eating its own tail to sustain its own life, in a neverending routine of renewal.

You need only look around to see the symbollic connotations: The cyclical nature of the seasons, the oscillations of the night sky, the rising and cesation of the tides, the revolutions of our earth, our joys, our sorrows, our successes, our triumphs our births, and our deaths. The idea that the beginning and the end are a continuous unending principal.

If you take these connotations and the influences we draw from them to their logical conclusion, how can't we live our lives with empathy and kind consideration for our fellow man? The Ouroboros, the universal symbol of life and death for all cultures is a symbol of the eternal unity of all things. It represents the totality of our existence, being born from nature, we mirror it, because it is what man wholly is a part of. These eternal principles, in their broadest sense, are symbolic of time and the continuity of life.

"By constantly consuming its own tail its a kind of bittersweet meditation on human life, reflecting hope in the immortal existence of the spirit while simultaneously referring to the cycles of birth, death, pain and loss that form the crux of the physical life in which the spirit finds itself." -Br. Matthew Vicar, Apostolic Gnostic Church in America

Regardless of your personal beliefs, the ultimate truth of this symbol and what it represents, permeates our very existence. It is not contradictory to gnostic beliefs, contrary to what most may think. Like the cross Jesus died on, the Ouroboros is a paradoxical symbol. An instrument of death becomes a sign of life, much like the destructive action of eating itself ultimately sustains the serpent in the Ouroboros.

To us Gnostics, this speaks about what Jesus taught us, that to gain eternal life we must in some fundamental way experience a "death to the world" and to physicality – not, of course, the bodily death that we all eventually will experience, but more fundamentally a spiritual death in which, as Lao-Tzu might say, we "make small our desires" and direct both our bodies and our minds to the work of the spirit, through the fundamental Gnostic moral principles of moderation, right intention, and non-harm. -Br. Matthew Vicar

You need only to look around you to see how this symbol permeates our daily lifes. Do these things look familiar to you?

The Ouroboros

Davinci

Zodiac

Clock


The Earth

The Milky Way Galaxy is the inspiration for the symbol of the Ouroboros. Myth refers to a serpent of light residing in the heavens. The Milky Way is this serpent, and viewed at galactic central point near Sagittarius, this serpent eats its own tail.

Did someone say FREE?

Gnarls Barkley is set to perform this weekend at the 2006 Coachella Music Festival. Before they take the stage in Coachella, however, word through the grapevine (thanks Heleen) is that DJ Dangermouse and Cee-Lo will be putting on a FREE concert in Los Angeles on Friday, April 28th.

The concert will take place at the Roxy theater in Hollywood. Doors open at 7pm and the line (according to the folks at the Roxy) will begin at 12 noon. There will be no bracelets or other raffle for tickets, it's strictly first come, first served basis.

"Learn to dream with one eye open"

Ashes and Snow is the ongoing project of canadian artist Gregory Colbert. It combines photographic works, 35mm films, art installations and a novel of letters to breach the boundaries of "modern man and the totemic animals that touch our spirit." The photos are truly breathtaking, as is the Nomadic museum, the 45,000 square foot structure that houses the show. It was designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban and is made up of shipping containers and paper tubing, which means it can only be installed at shipping ports. According to the design sheet, the museum is “67-foot-wide by 672-foot-long.”

The exhibit is currently at the Santa Monica pier through May 14th (tickets are $15) and if you live in the area I highly suggest you see it. The images and message are breathtaking.

"In exploring the shared language and poetic sensibilities of all animals, I am working towards rediscovering the common ground that once existed when people lived in harmony with animals. The images depict a world that is without beginning or end, here or there, past or present." - Gregory Colbert

"The power of the images comes less from their formal beauty than from the way they envelop the viewer in their mood... They are simply windows to a world in which silence and patience govern time." - New York Times

Colbert traveled for 15 years collecting the content that makes up his exhibition. He participated in expeditions in places like India, Egypt, Burma, Tonga, Sri Lanka, Namibia, Kenya, Antartica and Borneo. Colbert didn't save all of his artful touch for his exhibit. The webpage connected to his work at http://www.ashesandsnow.org/ is truly remarkable. Make sure you have the latest FLASH player installed and are on a broadband internet connection before visiting the site.

Cavemen angered by comments, demand retraction

I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize for my comments in the Jessica Alba post I had made on April 24th. In my rashness I made the following disparaging remarks:

"PS - Jessica if you happen to stumble upon my site, I'd like to thank you for helping out my cause. Unlike these other cavemen, I love you for your sparkling wit and intelligence."

The cavemen have agreed to not press charges as long as I print this retraction. I had no idea anyone was even reading this blog, much less willing to litigate the matter.

They also asked that I publish another Jessica Alba picture (as have others). I'm never one to deny my reader's requests.

Dangermouse + Cee-Lo = Crazy

More specifically, they equal Gnarls Barkley and they're here to bring something hip hop hasn't seen in a while: a sound that is fresh and new. These two guys are making truly beautiful music and if the US release of their album "St. Elsewhere"(set to be released May 9 by Atlantic/Downtown Records) is as successful as the album has been in the UK, the hip hop genre may be in for a big change. True hip hop heads and those in the know have heard of these two before.

Danger Mouse (real name: Brian Burton) created a "mash-up" of the Beatles' so-called White Album and rapper Jay-Z's "The Black Album." Calling it "The Grey Album," that marriage of disparate genres became a watershed event in hip-hop. As a result, Burton was tapped to produce the conceptual rock-dub band Gorillaz's second album, "Demon Days," for which he received a Grammy nomination.

Cee-Lo aka Cee-Lo Green (born Thomas Calloway) is best known for his work with the hip hop group Goodie Mob. Among Cee-Lo's solo hits are the singles "Closet Freak" (2002) and "I'll Be Around" (2003), produced by and featuring Timbaland.

Check out the video to the first single off of the upcoming Album, entitled "Crazy". And when the album drops on May 9th, GO COP IT! Support REAL HIP HOP and GOOD MUSIC in general people!
Happy Easter

Happy Birthday Apu!... and Chief Wiggum... and Comic Book Guy...

Janam Din ki badhai!(I'm told that means happy birthday in Hindi) and best wishes go out to Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. Now of course, it's not REALLY Apu's birthday, but it is Hank Azaria's who turns 42 today and is the Emmy Award Winning voice of Apu. He has provided the voices for over 160 characters on the show including those of Moe Szyslak, Police Chief Clancy Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, Cletus, Professor Frink and Snake.

Azaria's most famous character, however, is the beloved Apu. He is the proprietor of the Kwik-E-Mart (a subsidiary of Nordyne Defense Dynamics), the local convenience store. Apu has more episodes revolving around him than any other minor Simpsons character. Apu is married to his wife Manjula, who bore octuplets:(with assumed stage names) [their names when Springfield changed its name to Liberty-ville]:

* Poonam (Dazzle) [Apple Pie]
* Sashi (the rest)[Pepsi]
* Pria (the rest) [Manifest Destiny]
* Uma (the rest) [Condoleezza]
* Anoop (Animal) [Superman]
* Sandeep (Punchline) [Lincoln]
* Nabendu (the rest) [Coke]
* Gheet (The Baron) [Freedom]

In contrast to the generally buffoon-like idiots that inhabit Springfield, Apu is educated and far more knowledgeable about American history:

Homer: Are you sure you don’t want to come? In a civil war re-enactment we need lots of Indians to shoot.
Apu: I don’t know what part of that sentence to correct first.

Proctor: All right, here’s your last question. What was the cause of the Civil War?
Apu: Actually, there were numerous causes. Aside from the obvious schism between the abolitionists and the anti-abolitionists, there were economic factors, both domestic and inter–
Proctor: Wait, wait… just say slavery.
Apu: Slavery it is, sir.

Happy Birthday Hank! And in the immortal words of Apu: "Thank you, come again!"

Jessica Alba = Blog Hit GOLD!

I was talking with my buddy on the phone about my blog, lamenting the fact that I had very few hits and zero comments thus far. Being the hetero-male type that he is, he asked the inevitable: "Have you got any hot chicks on there?"

And it hit me. No, I didn't. No eye candy whatsoever. Let's face it, sex sells. I mean, Carl's Jr. had Paris Hilton hawking burgers on TV in a swimsuit. Those Desperate Housewives can be seen in soft drink commercials, fast food ads, and make-up spots almost everyday. If I want to build traffic up on my site, I gotta show some skin.

And who better then the ridiculously smokin' hot Jessica Alba. So, enjoy these pics and check back often!

PS - Jessica if you happen to stumble upon my site, I'd like to thank you for helping out my cause. Unlike these other cavemen, I love you for your sparkling wit and intelligence.

Hello, Newman.

Happy Newman's Day. Wikipedia defines Newman's Day as: "a college tradition involving drinking 24 servings of beer within a 24 hour period on April 24. The spirit of the tradition often requires that the beer be consumed without falling asleep, changing your daily schedule, or vomiting and that participants must attend classes, meals, and other events as usual. As a result of these difficult constraints, few students who start the tradition actually finish 24 beers. The event is not officially sanctioned by any university."

The origins of this tradition are shrouded in mystery, however some claim 'Newman' refers to Paul Newman. It is said that Newman gave a speech at Princeton on April 24 in the 70s and ended by saying "I think I'll go have a beer." Some at Princeton and Bates also attribute the line "24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not," to Newman as well. Neither of these statements has ever been verified and Newman has denied any connection to the tradition.[1]

In fact, Kenyon College, Newman's alma mater, had tied the day even closer to Paul Newman by celebrating on March 30, the anniversary of the Paul Newman's first Academy Award, a day marked with events (both alcoholic and not) and a t-shirt sale for a charitable cause.

The event received extreme media attention in 2004 after Newman's lawyer sent a letter to Princeton University, and more significantly forwarded a copy to the New York Times, hoping to end the tradition at Princeton.[2] This resulted in swarms of reporters around campus but the celebration continued and the controversy swelled.

In 2004, the Dean of Undergraduate Students at Princeton ordered campus security to seize 400 Newman's Day t-shirts from a student's room, causing an uproar among students, faculty, and civil rights activists.[3]. Eventually the shirts were returned after the event but the student was not compensated.[4]

In 2004, Princeton's Student Health Advisory Board printed up "anti"-Newman's Day t-shirts meant to thwart participation in the event, yet the ambiguous message on the shirts ("Celebrate Newman's Day 2005") actually increased participation.[5]

ESPN Takes over your computer... AND YOU LIKE IT!

Sports nuts rejoice: ESPN has made a version of its popular "Bottom Line" score and story updater available for your desktop. I have installed the newest version of the program and must admit, I'm hooked. Not only can you fully customize the type of updates you receive (no Nascar or NHL for this sailor) you can also get instant access to live game scores and breaking news. It's like having your computer tuned to ESPN all the time.

You can download the latest version of The Espn Bottom Line for your desktop here.

[Thou] appeareth nothing to me but a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours.

The above quote was taken from Hamlet. Special thanks to babalu over at Maddenmania.com for this link of great Shakespeare insults.

The bard of avon could turn a phrase like few others. Other gems from this great website include:

Would thou wert clean enough to spit upon!

Taken from: Timon of Athens

Your means are very slender, and your waste is great.

Taken from: Henry IV, part 2

[Thy] tongue outvenoms all the worms of Nile.

Taken from: Cymbeline

It's very obvious to me that Wilmer Valderrama and the good folks over at "Yo Mama" have got nothing on ol' Bill.

Happy belated birthday Shakespeare! We barely knew ye...

...William Shakespeare the most important literary figure in the history of the world was born on April 23rd 1564. Shakespeare's precise birthdate is not known; he was baptized on 26 April 1564, and over time 23 April has become the accepted date of birth, in part because he also died on 23 April in 1616.

Many argue that Shakespeare's works were not written by one man (crediting Sir Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe and Edward de Vere for penning some of his works). Regardless of who penned his great works, they are timeless and as vital and current as they were over 400 years ago.

The proof is in the writing:

SONNET 116
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

What did you have in mind when you developed the Web?

A question asked to Tim Berners Lee, architect of the World Wide Web:

The dream behind the Web is of a common information space in which we communicate by sharing information. Its universality is essential: the fact that a hypertext link can point to anything, be it personal, local or global, be it draft or highly polished. There was a second part of the dream, too, dependent on the Web being so generally used that it became a realistic mirror (or in fact the primary embodiment) of the ways in which we work and play and socialize. That was that once the state of our interactions was on line, we could then use computers to help us analyze it, make sense of what we are doing, where we individually fit in, and how we can better work together.

Enquire Within Upon Everything

"Whether you wish to model a flower in wax; to study the rules of etiquette; to serve relish for breakfast or supper; to plan a dinner for a large party or a small one; to cure a headache; to make a will; to get married; to bury a relative; whatever you may wish to do, make, or to enjoy, provided your desire has relation to the necessities of domestic life, I hope you will not fail to 'Enquire Within.' " -- Enquire Within Upon Everything