Rock & Roll Farm

Friday! Feb 28 2003 // 11:57 am // permalink

strange science goof gallery

a catalogue of “mistakes made by early scientists and artists when trying to represent extinct (and sometimes living) organisms” (click on the icons under the paragraph - Dinosaurs and Dragons, Mammals, Sea Monsters, etc.) from Strange Science: The Rocky Road to Modern Paleontology and Biology. this site is loads of science fun. there’s a timeline of “some important events in the history of paleontology and biology” along with a diverse biographies page listing scientists, artists, and collectors from Da Vinci to Dart. check out the women paleontologists. you will also find references to where to learn more about the exciting world of paleontology and biology. all this is compiled by a dedicated science fan.

Thursday! Feb 27 2003 // 4:35 pm // permalink

the tampon asbestos issue

this is the official FDA statement on the subject of asbestos and dioxin use in tampons. i’m trying to dig up some of the counterpoints. if you know anything, please lemme know.

Thursday! Feb 27 2003 // 4:33 pm // permalink

say farewell to the land of makebelieve

Mr. Rogers will be missed.

he died of cancer this morning at age 74

how to tell the kids

Friday! Feb 21 2003 // 7:29 am // permalink

late night at the fireside bowl

something broke in my throat last night while i was singing with casey. something just kind of snapped open, and while it made it easier for me to make the scream-scream, it made it hard to stay in tune. it was kind of cool, though. i sounded like my voice had character - you know, like thirty years of cigarettes and bourbon, and a little misery on top. it was kind of cool. i’m just wondering if that’s the kind of singing i *want* to be doing. it is eventually going to change my voice in a more permament way, so i need to start thinking about what kind of voice i want to have. like, pronto.

either way, it was a blast. my outfit turned out great, a lot of people i care about where there, and i met some great new people. static film is a great band, if you ever see their name in the paper, go see them.

tonight i leave for detroit, to go to michael kavalhuna’s funeral. i am a little apprehensive about this trip: car is acting funny, i’m a little broke, it’s going to be “whirlwind” and therefore exhausting, i have a funeral to go to, and uh…i’ll be sleeping either on a sofabed or an inflatable mattress. but, my friend jeremy is coming with me so i don’t fall asleep in the car, and for other support-style reasons, and for that i thank him.

Wednesday! Feb 19 2003 // 10:09 am // permalink

this is the city life…

compilations i can’t create myself, but wish someone would:

• songs of redemption - not solely in the spiritual sense. all kinds of redemption
• great organ tone - 50+ years of the electric organ in rock and roll, r&b, etc.
• live covers - this one may already be out there somewhere. impromptu (or unexpected, or improvised, or just interpreted well) covers. think= flaming lips doing that smog song. or, don’t hate me: ida doing don’t fear the reaper. i’m not kidding, i really liked it. i may have been the only one who did, though. please don’t hate me.
• pronouns shmonouns - songs performed by a singer who doesn’t change the pronouns to fit their gender. and then some when they do. i don’t know why, but i think about this a lot.
• songs to wait by - songs that talk about waiting. waiting that’s going on, or waiting that happened already.
• songs that sound like another song, but isn’t a ripoff (original songs included for reference) - where it all began for me: pavement’s silence kit sounds so much like buddy holly’s every day, that it drives me nuts.