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Year: 2007/Archives

2007-03-25

S&M and Internet Dating

That title sure got your attention. So I recently started internet dating. Which is kind of funny because the first collaborative radio piece Kara and I ever did was on sex and the Internet.

Filling out the profile I realized a few things 1) Pro Tools figured prominently, 2) I mentioned my cat three times and 3) while both 1 & 2 seemed sad, I figured I could exploit this online meet-and-greet for our Song and Memory series. Hence, my profile says,

“If you have a really cool story about your most memorable song from childhood…let me know, you might go on the radio.

Really. Write and let me know. Even if you don’t add me to your hotlist.”

And it worked! Men ripped through my ethernet cable to share their most heartwrenching/heartwarming memories. OK. Not really. But I have gone on a few dates (fun, but no love connection Chuck) and found one promising Song and Memory story (it involves cheesecake, Brooklyn and NWA). I’ve also gathered sounds. Because if you date me, you date my microphone.

Date Sound #1:

Peter is a Ph.d guy who makes music videos, robots and audio software. He’s also into exploring things like abandoned subway tunnels. Rather than doing the standard bar and drinks, our date consisted of sneaking down a ladder at the end of an MTA platform. He brought his camera to film. I brought my stereo microphone to record. And no, we didn’t make out.

Date Sound #2:

Anders grew up in Sweden. He sent me this email.

“Not sure if this is a cool story, but my most favorite childhood song comes from a schlocky Swedish comedy duo called “Trazan and Banarne.” Back in the day, me and basically every other Swedish kid under age 10 would obsessively be up by 7a.m. watching two grown men in monkey suits singing with their mouths full of bananas.”

The date was standard (drinks) and the story was just OK. But now I have the sound of two Swedish men in monkey suits, singing in Swedish and eating bananas.

Which goes to show that maybe I’m not really looking for love at all…maybe all I need to be happy is good sound.

And my cat.

2007-03-25

C-Span Is Hot

As mentioned before I’m hooked on C-Span. Mainly for it’s raw unedited info, and insight into how-.gov-works. But also for it’s moments of pure real-life theatre, like during last weeks’ Senate Hearings on Global Warming, in this interaction b/w witness Fmr VP Gore and Senators Inhofe and Boxer:


What was more enlightening, tho, was the educated exchanges Gore had w/ senators on both sides of the aisle. Sure the occasional pol proposed things like sunspots as cause for globe.warm (really, a Senator said that: sunspots). But most — GOP and Dem — were informed, concerned and open to learning more. Here’s Sen Clinton and the fmr Veep:

Highly recommended you stream this thing: all 2+ hours of the C-Span (RealMedia) coverage. As a contrast, read CJR Daily‘s eval of network sound-bitten reports on Gore’s testimony to both houses.

2007-03-24

Memorial Day- Vid

Memorial Day and military funeral services from American Civil War to Operation Iraqi Freedom:


“Echo Taps” played by the US Marine Band.Photos from: Library of Congress, National Archives and Records, Dover Air Force Base, and Wikipedia:

  1. Civil War veteran standing and saluting with a Boy Scout and a soldier at a gravesite in Oak Woods Cemetery on Memorial Day. (LOC)
  2. With a canvas tarpaulin for a church and packing cases for an altar, a Navy chaplain holds mass for Marines at Saipan. The service was held in memory of brave buddies who lost their lives in the initial landings.” Sgt. Steele, June 1944. (NARA)
  3. The crew of the USS SOUTH DAKOTA stands with bowed heads, while Chaplain N. D. Lindner reads the benediction held in honor of fellow shipmates killed in the air action off Guam on June 19, 1944. July 1, 1944 (NARA)
  4. Sailor and girl at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Washington, D.C. (LOC)
  5. A Marine at Vietnam Memorial on 4th July 2002. (Wikipedia)
  6. Ceremonies for offloading caskets at Dover Air Force Base, casualties from OIF. (Dover AFB)
2007-03-22

Effects of Drugs on Spiders

In the 1960s, Dr. Peter Witt gave drugs to spiders and observed their effects on web building:

2007-03-21

Bobby in Color

Sometimes I think there needs to be cussing on public radio. Not because I want to go head-to-head with FCC Chairman Martin about issues of free speech. (En garde!) But sometimes the people you interview use sh-#$%$ and f-%$# and b-^#%@$ more often than the word “and.” It’s just who they are. So when you take out the “bad” words you lose, I think, an accurate representation of their f*cking awesome personalities.

Case in point, Bobby Hansson. Bobby is the artist featured in our recent piece Tin Can Orchestra. He is colorful in dress (see pictures from previous post) and in language. Admittedly, there were times when I cringed a little as I held the microphone because what Bobby was saying was inappropriate and cheesy. But there were other times when I just laughed. He was quirky. I liked him. So I was a little sad that I had to cut out some of Bobby’s zingers.

Here is my mini tribute to Bobby’s colorful mouth. It was done in a flash. I’m pretty sure there is better stuff in the raw tape, but at least it’s something, right?

(The piece of opera music is from Bobby’s record player that he connected to a power strip in his blacksmith shop. It’s Maria Callas, don’t ask me from what opera. My mom would kill me if she found out I didn’t know.)

PS–Is it just me or does the FCC chairman look like he’s twelve?