Tuesday, August 30, 2005
It's Saint Alexander's Day
"When Arius had deceitfully professed allegiance to the Council of Nicaea, Saint Alexander, knowing his guile, refused to receive him into communion; Arius' powerful partisans threatened that they would use force to bring Arius into the communion of the Church the following day. Saint Alexander prayed fervently that God might spare the Church; and as Arius was in a privy place relieving nature, his bowels gushed forth with an effusion of blood, and the arch-heresiarch died the death of Judas."
Yes!
Yes!
Monday, August 29, 2005
Jandek's first US show ever
Jandek's first US show ever, and I was there. Amazing performance, almost harrowing, unnerving to see/hear an artist be so personally revealing. Nice percussion by both Mr. Nick Hennies and Mr. Chris Cogburn. More on Jandek and a review of the show here.
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Biscuit's last interview.
Sniff, again. You should read this interview, it's really great. I wish I'd known him.
Top Official Urged Change in How Parks Are Managed
Paul Hoffman
Department of the Interior
via e-mail: Paul_Hoffman@ios.doi.gov
Dear Mr. Hoffman,
I recently read of your proposed revisions to the National Park Service's basic policy document. Among them was the elimination of this phrase:
"the service will strive to preserve or restore the natural quiet and
natural sounds associated with the physical and biological resources
of the parks."
I'm aware that your revisions were rejected by a panel of senior employees in favor of less significant amendations. I hope that if new revisions are proposed you will consider leaving that phrase intact.
A substantial amount of research has been done demonstrating the impact of industrial and urban noise on the environment, our psychological well-being, and the wildlife habitat. It is obvious that, since we live in an industrialized society, our urban and suburban environments will always be compromised to a degree.
Especially because of that compromise, there is a real value to protecting the acoustic environment of our national parks. By doing so we provide a place for people to experience the type of natural world and silence that is lost nearly everywhere else.
The natural park service was created to "conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." In keeping with that principle, I urge you to consider keeping language in the basic policy document preserving the natural quiet and natural sounds of our national parks.
Alex Keller
(address)
More information about acoustic ecology can be found at
World Forum for Acoustic Ecology
http://interact.uoregon.edu/MediaLit/WFAE/home/index.html
American Society for Acoustic Ecology (the new US Chapter of the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology)
http://www.acousticecology.org/asae/
Department of the Interior
via e-mail: Paul_Hoffman@ios.doi.gov
Dear Mr. Hoffman,
I recently read of your proposed revisions to the National Park Service's basic policy document. Among them was the elimination of this phrase:
"the service will strive to preserve or restore the natural quiet and
natural sounds associated with the physical and biological resources
of the parks."
I'm aware that your revisions were rejected by a panel of senior employees in favor of less significant amendations. I hope that if new revisions are proposed you will consider leaving that phrase intact.
A substantial amount of research has been done demonstrating the impact of industrial and urban noise on the environment, our psychological well-being, and the wildlife habitat. It is obvious that, since we live in an industrialized society, our urban and suburban environments will always be compromised to a degree.
Especially because of that compromise, there is a real value to protecting the acoustic environment of our national parks. By doing so we provide a place for people to experience the type of natural world and silence that is lost nearly everywhere else.
The natural park service was created to "conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." In keeping with that principle, I urge you to consider keeping language in the basic policy document preserving the natural quiet and natural sounds of our national parks.
Alex Keller
(address)
More information about acoustic ecology can be found at
World Forum for Acoustic Ecology
http://interact.uoregon.edu/MediaLit/WFAE/home/index.html
American Society for Acoustic Ecology (the new US Chapter of the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology)
http://www.acousticecology.org/asae/
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
A few recipes by three people who I like
Although I don't believe the word butthole should appear in a recipe, this recipe is from a classic Butthole Surfers interview:
GIBBY’S SPILLANE PEACH COBBLER
Stir together 1/3 t. salt and 2 c. flour. Cut in ½ c. shortening until crumbly. Add 1/3 c. milk and stir with a fork until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl On a lightly floured board, roll the dough into a rectangle a little-less than 1/4 in. thick. Put it on a baking sheet and bake it at 425 until it’s lightly browned. ~ Then put mixed-up water, brown sugar, egg white, and cinnamon [5 egg whites, ¾ c. water, ½ c. brown sugar, ¼t. cinnamon] on top of the crust and bake it until it foams up like a custard. When it starts to look cooked, take it out and put sliced fresh peaches on it. it’s amazing. It’s a killer dessert.
The young curmudgeon Steve Albini is outspoken about everything. Read this interview with him about food. He is so caustic, which is why I love him. He's usually right too.
Albini's Sauce Mayonnaise:
Ingredients:
Two eggs (egg + 1 yolk)
1 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon Tamari soy sauce OR 1 teaspoon salt
(optionally: 1 tablespoon fresh or dried dill or thyme)
~ 1 cup olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon OR 1 tablespoon 'good' vinegar
Into a stationary blender, crack one egg. Add an extra egg yolk, one garlic clove, a strong quarter teaspoon of cayenne (or a teaspoon of white pepper ground very fine) and either a slight teaspoon of salt or a tablespoon of Tamari soy sauce.
Blend at high speed until the garlic is finely divided and the egg begins to froth. With the blender still running, trickle in good olive oil until the mayonnaise thickens and will accept no more oil. (this will vary, but will usually be about a cup.)
Stop the blender and add a tablespoon of good vinegar OR the juice of half a lemon. Fold the mayonnaise once or twice with a spatula, which will loosen it considerably. Pulse the blender until the thick consistency returns.
Taste. If the mayonnaise tastes oily, add more acid (vinegar or lemon juice only. Never combine the two, as this makes for a weird bilious aftertaste).
Chill covered for at least 15 minutes. I often add a tablespoon of fresh or dried dill or thyme at the beginning of the process. Don't add the acid at the beginning, as this can prevent the eggs from emulsifying.
I love Vincent Price. If you haven't seen The Abominable Dr. Phibes then you are only marginally alive. His favorite recipe is for Hamburger a la Mode .
Hamburger done the way you like it - top with sour cream and caviar and dress with chopped onion or sliced green onion.
GIBBY’S SPILLANE PEACH COBBLER
Stir together 1/3 t. salt and 2 c. flour. Cut in ½ c. shortening until crumbly. Add 1/3 c. milk and stir with a fork until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl On a lightly floured board, roll the dough into a rectangle a little-less than 1/4 in. thick. Put it on a baking sheet and bake it at 425 until it’s lightly browned. ~ Then put mixed-up water, brown sugar, egg white, and cinnamon [5 egg whites, ¾ c. water, ½ c. brown sugar, ¼t. cinnamon] on top of the crust and bake it until it foams up like a custard. When it starts to look cooked, take it out and put sliced fresh peaches on it. it’s amazing. It’s a killer dessert.
The young curmudgeon Steve Albini is outspoken about everything. Read this interview with him about food. He is so caustic, which is why I love him. He's usually right too.
Albini's Sauce Mayonnaise:
Ingredients:
Two eggs (egg + 1 yolk)
1 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon Tamari soy sauce OR 1 teaspoon salt
(optionally: 1 tablespoon fresh or dried dill or thyme)
~ 1 cup olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon OR 1 tablespoon 'good' vinegar
Into a stationary blender, crack one egg. Add an extra egg yolk, one garlic clove, a strong quarter teaspoon of cayenne (or a teaspoon of white pepper ground very fine) and either a slight teaspoon of salt or a tablespoon of Tamari soy sauce.
Blend at high speed until the garlic is finely divided and the egg begins to froth. With the blender still running, trickle in good olive oil until the mayonnaise thickens and will accept no more oil. (this will vary, but will usually be about a cup.)
Stop the blender and add a tablespoon of good vinegar OR the juice of half a lemon. Fold the mayonnaise once or twice with a spatula, which will loosen it considerably. Pulse the blender until the thick consistency returns.
Taste. If the mayonnaise tastes oily, add more acid (vinegar or lemon juice only. Never combine the two, as this makes for a weird bilious aftertaste).
Chill covered for at least 15 minutes. I often add a tablespoon of fresh or dried dill or thyme at the beginning of the process. Don't add the acid at the beginning, as this can prevent the eggs from emulsifying.
I love Vincent Price. If you haven't seen The Abominable Dr. Phibes then you are only marginally alive. His favorite recipe is for Hamburger a la Mode .
Hamburger done the way you like it - top with sour cream and caviar and dress with chopped onion or sliced green onion.
Monday, August 22, 2005
Synthesizer innovator Moog dies at 71
Monday, August 22, 2005; Posted: 12:03 p.m. EDT (16:03 GMT)
RALEIGH, North Carolina (AP) -- Robert A. Moog, whose self-named synthesizers turned electric currents into sound and opened the musical wave that became electronica, has died. He was 71.
Cool people are just dropping off like flies. And Diddy (fka P. Diddy et al) still walks the earth. It's not right.
RALEIGH, North Carolina (AP) -- Robert A. Moog, whose self-named synthesizers turned electric currents into sound and opened the musical wave that became electronica, has died. He was 71.
Cool people are just dropping off like flies. And Diddy (fka P. Diddy et al) still walks the earth. It's not right.
RANDY 'BISCUIT' TURNER - Big Boys singer put funk in punk - Musician found dead in South Austin home; police investigating.
The lead singer of Austin's amazing punk band the Big Boys has just died. I always loved the Big Boys... sniff.
You have to log in to read the article - use
name Scooby
e-mail Scooby@doo.com
password Scrappy
Believe it or not Biscuit was just the cover story of the Austin Chronicle. You don't need to log in to read it.
You have to log in to read the article - use
name Scooby
e-mail Scooby@doo.com
password Scrappy
Believe it or not Biscuit was just the cover story of the Austin Chronicle. You don't need to log in to read it.
