Dixie Chicks
I was elated when I heard that Madonna had performed an anti-material, anti-war album, only to meet disappointment when I heard that Madonna was sending out decoys which have not her songs but the epithet "What the f are you doing?" That's the hit song of the year, by the way. "What the f*** are you doing", by Madonna.
Now I hear that the Dixie Chicks have disappointed me. I was encouraged by them because they took a stand against our administration. But then their lead singer Maines wore a T-shirt at a recent awards ceremony reading F.U.T.K., which means, I take it, "Futk you, Tony Keith". So this is an acronym that contains itself. Well, not quite. I misspelled a word to avoid some of these filters, but imagine what if Keith's first name had been Chris. Now who was Tony Keith? I looked on the Internet and found that he wrote a song called "The Red, White and Blue", and I read the lyrics. They were pro-American and expressed an angry mood, like many Americans had after Planeattack. Maines criticized these lyrics, and Tony Keith replied by saying that the Dixie Chicks were not in his league. So Maines replied with the T-shirt. It caused quite a stir. I don't think it was appropriate. I think that word beginning with f is grossly misused; most of the time it is not used to mean sexual intercourse. Maines showed herself as trite by putting that on her shirt and wearing it to the awards ceremony.
It's the same sort of thing that Madonna did, in a different context. This is the second famous woman that I have heard of in recent days use the f word. To me the f word shows the user to be rurale, as it shows the user can't find words to mean more than that. I won't buy Dixie Chicks albums either.
A Journey through Blogrealm
Blogtrek
Blogtrek
2003/06/04
Weapons of Mass Destruction
One of the purposes that the US administration had in attacking Iraq was to get rid of Saddam's weapons of mass destruction. Now we know that at one time he had them because he used then against the Kurds and the Iranians. So the US and Britain attacked and overthrew the Saddam regime and looked for those weapons of mass destruction but did not find any, at least not yet. He got rid of them long ago or a short time ago, or he got rid of them while the inspectors were doing their job, or maybe he had moved or hid them, although that seems most likely. But the failure to find them has turned out to be a disappointment in Persian Gulf War II and its aftermath. This failure to find them has inspired me to write two items - a song and a nursery rhyme. The nursery rhyme goes:
The US Army
Went to Iraq
To find for George Bush some weapons of mass destruction.
But when they got there,
Iraq was bare,
And so for George Bush they found none.
In this rhyme, say "weapons of mass destruction" fast and all at once as though it were a single syllable word such as "war". Same way with the song:
Oh where oh where are those weapons of mass destruction
Oh where oh where can they be
Where's that gas and those germs and the glow in the dark
Oh where oh were can they be.
One of the purposes that the US administration had in attacking Iraq was to get rid of Saddam's weapons of mass destruction. Now we know that at one time he had them because he used then against the Kurds and the Iranians. So the US and Britain attacked and overthrew the Saddam regime and looked for those weapons of mass destruction but did not find any, at least not yet. He got rid of them long ago or a short time ago, or he got rid of them while the inspectors were doing their job, or maybe he had moved or hid them, although that seems most likely. But the failure to find them has turned out to be a disappointment in Persian Gulf War II and its aftermath. This failure to find them has inspired me to write two items - a song and a nursery rhyme. The nursery rhyme goes:
The US Army
Went to Iraq
To find for George Bush some weapons of mass destruction.
But when they got there,
Iraq was bare,
And so for George Bush they found none.
In this rhyme, say "weapons of mass destruction" fast and all at once as though it were a single syllable word such as "war". Same way with the song:
Oh where oh where are those weapons of mass destruction
Oh where oh where can they be
Where's that gas and those germs and the glow in the dark
Oh where oh were can they be.
2003/06/01
Would you pose nude to get a driver's license?
In Florida there has been this issue about a woman who had her picture taken for a driver's license. She was a Muslim and wore the veil all the time in public. She insisted on wearing it for her driver license photo. However, Florida authorities ruled that that was not valid. She would have to expose her face to have a valid photo taken. That seems reasonable enough. Having the face visible is needed for identification.
But look at it from the woman's point of view. Would you pose nude to get a driver's license? Suppose the law required you to have your nude picture taken and placed on your license because clothes can prevent one from identifying you. You sure would object, wouldn't you? Well, this is how this woman feels. We have our taboos on nudity; these may not be reasonable but we live with them. They say we need to cover certain parts of our anatomy, mainly in the crotch and buttocks, and for women, the breasts. For this Muslim woman, the taboo area includes her face as well. To her, going out in public without a veil on is like one of us bare-faced individuals going out without anything on. Looking at it from this view, don't you see her point?
Of course, issues like this are rarely simple, and this is no exception. The same Muslim religion that requires her to wear a veil also forbids her from driving; that's a male privilege. So she should not be getting a license to begin with, unless she breaks with the teachings of her sexist religion, in which case why the veil on the driver's license? What Florida is saying, then, is that if your religion allows you to drive, then in order to drive, you need to expose your face. This could violate someone's religious views or scruples, and it's possible that a case could come up which does just that. But in this case it appears that it doesn't. I see the woman's point but if she wants to drive, she needs to consider removing the veil.
In Florida there has been this issue about a woman who had her picture taken for a driver's license. She was a Muslim and wore the veil all the time in public. She insisted on wearing it for her driver license photo. However, Florida authorities ruled that that was not valid. She would have to expose her face to have a valid photo taken. That seems reasonable enough. Having the face visible is needed for identification.
But look at it from the woman's point of view. Would you pose nude to get a driver's license? Suppose the law required you to have your nude picture taken and placed on your license because clothes can prevent one from identifying you. You sure would object, wouldn't you? Well, this is how this woman feels. We have our taboos on nudity; these may not be reasonable but we live with them. They say we need to cover certain parts of our anatomy, mainly in the crotch and buttocks, and for women, the breasts. For this Muslim woman, the taboo area includes her face as well. To her, going out in public without a veil on is like one of us bare-faced individuals going out without anything on. Looking at it from this view, don't you see her point?
Of course, issues like this are rarely simple, and this is no exception. The same Muslim religion that requires her to wear a veil also forbids her from driving; that's a male privilege. So she should not be getting a license to begin with, unless she breaks with the teachings of her sexist religion, in which case why the veil on the driver's license? What Florida is saying, then, is that if your religion allows you to drive, then in order to drive, you need to expose your face. This could violate someone's religious views or scruples, and it's possible that a case could come up which does just that. But in this case it appears that it doesn't. I see the woman's point but if she wants to drive, she needs to consider removing the veil.
2003/05/31
Philly Boy Scouts: A good group or discriminatory?
I read with interest a story this week that a national conference of the Boy Scouts of America took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and that the host council, the Cradle of Liberty Council, has defied the national organization and has included sexual orientation in its definition of non-discrimination. This means that the council has forbidden barring a boy or a leader from joining the Scout organization because that boy or leader is gay, contradicting the national organization's forbidding of gays from joining the Scouts.
This is a good sign. This means there is one place where Scouting is a good organization for a boy to belong to. Scouting has many virtues, namely, introducing boys to survival skills and an appreciation for nature and the environment while helping them develop a set of values for life. However, I cannot recommend most Scout troops for boys, because the national organization chooses to discriminate against gays and atheists. However, the Philadelphia scouts do not discriminate against gays. So is this a good organization for a boy to belong to?
I would like to think so but I am not sure. The problem is that I have found no evidence that the Philly Boy Scouts has barred discrimination against a boy or a leader because he does not believe in a God. It may be that a boy or leader must profess belief in God before joining a Philadelphia area Boy Scout organization. If that is the case, they are better than the national organization but they have gone only halfway.
In fact, in this case, they are discriminating in a second-order sense. They are discriminating against atheists and agnostics and in favor of gays. Two groups of people have an issue with the Boy Scouts: gay people and atheists and agnostics. The Philadelphia council apparently has decided to discriminate in favor of gays over atheists and agnostics, and so I can't recommend them either.
I hope I am wrong and that the Philadelphia Boy Scouts have barred discrimination based on a belief in a God as well.
I read with interest a story this week that a national conference of the Boy Scouts of America took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and that the host council, the Cradle of Liberty Council, has defied the national organization and has included sexual orientation in its definition of non-discrimination. This means that the council has forbidden barring a boy or a leader from joining the Scout organization because that boy or leader is gay, contradicting the national organization's forbidding of gays from joining the Scouts.
This is a good sign. This means there is one place where Scouting is a good organization for a boy to belong to. Scouting has many virtues, namely, introducing boys to survival skills and an appreciation for nature and the environment while helping them develop a set of values for life. However, I cannot recommend most Scout troops for boys, because the national organization chooses to discriminate against gays and atheists. However, the Philadelphia scouts do not discriminate against gays. So is this a good organization for a boy to belong to?
I would like to think so but I am not sure. The problem is that I have found no evidence that the Philly Boy Scouts has barred discrimination against a boy or a leader because he does not believe in a God. It may be that a boy or leader must profess belief in God before joining a Philadelphia area Boy Scout organization. If that is the case, they are better than the national organization but they have gone only halfway.
In fact, in this case, they are discriminating in a second-order sense. They are discriminating against atheists and agnostics and in favor of gays. Two groups of people have an issue with the Boy Scouts: gay people and atheists and agnostics. The Philadelphia council apparently has decided to discriminate in favor of gays over atheists and agnostics, and so I can't recommend them either.
I hope I am wrong and that the Philadelphia Boy Scouts have barred discrimination based on a belief in a God as well.
Victory in the "War" against Terror
A major victory in the effort (sometimes mistakenly called a "war") against terrorism occurred today, 2003 May 31. A notorious terrorist who has planted bombs in a gay bar, an abortion clinic and the Atlanta 1996 Olympics has been captured. Eric Rudolph was found unexpectedly near a store in the extreme western tip of North Carolina. From what I have heard about Eric Rudolph, he is a Christian terrorist, the same as Osama bin Laden is an Islamic one. Like Osama, he has targeted institutions that don't fit his narrow version of religion. I am hoping that extra efforts to combat terrorists in general since Planeattack have helped capture this terrorist. I believe he has had help escaping authorities over the years, probably from some right-wing extremist group. The leaders of this group should be hunted down and captured just like those of Al Qaeda. And it shows that not all notorious terrorists are Muslim or Al Qaeda. We have some in this country.
A major victory in the effort (sometimes mistakenly called a "war") against terrorism occurred today, 2003 May 31. A notorious terrorist who has planted bombs in a gay bar, an abortion clinic and the Atlanta 1996 Olympics has been captured. Eric Rudolph was found unexpectedly near a store in the extreme western tip of North Carolina. From what I have heard about Eric Rudolph, he is a Christian terrorist, the same as Osama bin Laden is an Islamic one. Like Osama, he has targeted institutions that don't fit his narrow version of religion. I am hoping that extra efforts to combat terrorists in general since Planeattack have helped capture this terrorist. I believe he has had help escaping authorities over the years, probably from some right-wing extremist group. The leaders of this group should be hunted down and captured just like those of Al Qaeda. And it shows that not all notorious terrorists are Muslim or Al Qaeda. We have some in this country.
Mercury: Chopin's Posthumous Etude in A-flat Major
This Etude sounds more like a Prelude, as it is a short composition with a simple melodic line. What is interesting about it is its 3 over 2 rhythm. The treble is a fast 3/4 waltz or 6/8 piece. The bass is an ordinary 4-beat rhythm. Chopin has put these two together and they sound fine. It reminds me of the planet Mercury, which does a 3/2 dance around the Sun with its rotational system, so I call this Etude "Mercury". Douglas Hofstadter mentions the prelude in his book Metamagical Themas, as an example of the type of music Chopin composed. I find the piece fascinating with its 3/2 rhythm and have put it in Cakewalk with a bell-like treble and a string bass. The melodic and bass lines are interesting as they resemble sine waves: they go down and then up and then down again in a wave pattern. It is not a very well known etude, as it was published after Chopin's death. Its main idea appears in some form in some of the Preludes of Opus 28. It is an interesting one to play and hear.
This Etude sounds more like a Prelude, as it is a short composition with a simple melodic line. What is interesting about it is its 3 over 2 rhythm. The treble is a fast 3/4 waltz or 6/8 piece. The bass is an ordinary 4-beat rhythm. Chopin has put these two together and they sound fine. It reminds me of the planet Mercury, which does a 3/2 dance around the Sun with its rotational system, so I call this Etude "Mercury". Douglas Hofstadter mentions the prelude in his book Metamagical Themas, as an example of the type of music Chopin composed. I find the piece fascinating with its 3/2 rhythm and have put it in Cakewalk with a bell-like treble and a string bass. The melodic and bass lines are interesting as they resemble sine waves: they go down and then up and then down again in a wave pattern. It is not a very well known etude, as it was published after Chopin's death. Its main idea appears in some form in some of the Preludes of Opus 28. It is an interesting one to play and hear.
2003/05/28
Epic: Chopin's Prelude in D Minor
And finally we come to the end. Chopin's Prelude Opus 28, Number 24, in D minor. This one is full of theatrics, with a roaring bass that is incessant throughout the piece, long runs across the keyboard, and a final threesome bang of the low D on the piano that is a fitting conclusion to the opus. It is like a long story that keeps going on and on, with plots and acts, and so I call it Epic. The piece is dramatic and is a pleasure to play, even though it is one of the more difficult pieces to play. When I was a child I was in awe of those who could play a piece like this. But I have found that it is actually easier to play than the preludes in E-flat, B-flat minor, or F-sharp minor. Outside of the bass, the runs, and the sparkling thirds at the climax, there is just the one-note melody. The bass is a bit of a stretch, and playing those twelfths over and over again can get your left hand tired quickly. The runs need some practice but I was surprised that I could do one of them rather well right now. The thirds are the part that would get me. I have always had a problem playing thirds.
This piece has an interesting chordal progression which allows it to be expanded into a really impressive epic. It starts in the key of D minor, then goes to F, then C7, and then F. It then transitions through an E7-flatted 9 to A minor, and then the entire piece starts all over again, down a fifth in A minor. It goes through the same types of transitions, from E minor to G major and then to the relative major, in this case C. Through the same type of chord progression it goes into E minor. At this point it takes an abrupt turn into C minor. But up to now we have a chord progression that goes one notch sharpward from D minor to A minor to E minor. My idea is to continue this right on, through B minor, F-sharp minor, C-sharp minor and so forth around the circle of fifths until I get back to D minor again. I tried this once (I since have lost it) in Cakewalk and it does sound impressive - you have to keep adjusting between fifths and fourths to avoid having it descend into the lowest notes of the piano. Getting back to the original piece, the transition from D-flat major to D-flat augmented to D minor is interesting and perverse - the usual sequence goes through D diminished instead. The descending thirds is rather unexpected in the climatic buildup and reminds me of leaves falling from a tree. And of course there is the final descent and the three low D tolls at the end, signaling the end of the piece and of Opus 28. And so that ends this sequence of reviews as well.
Not with my "Just add one" philosophy. There are more. I have decided to add two more Preludes, because of their interest to me. One is a posthumous prelude in G-sharp Major. All right, it is in A flat. I was trying to avoid duplicating a key, which is impossible now since all keys have been covered. The other is the one I mentioned earlier in connection with Number 15, "Mercury", also in A-flat, an intriguing piece with triple time in the treble and duple time. Also, tonight, I noticed that there is a number 25 and a 26 in Opus 28, and I would like to find out more about them. They seem like afterthoughts. So this series is to be continued...
And finally we come to the end. Chopin's Prelude Opus 28, Number 24, in D minor. This one is full of theatrics, with a roaring bass that is incessant throughout the piece, long runs across the keyboard, and a final threesome bang of the low D on the piano that is a fitting conclusion to the opus. It is like a long story that keeps going on and on, with plots and acts, and so I call it Epic. The piece is dramatic and is a pleasure to play, even though it is one of the more difficult pieces to play. When I was a child I was in awe of those who could play a piece like this. But I have found that it is actually easier to play than the preludes in E-flat, B-flat minor, or F-sharp minor. Outside of the bass, the runs, and the sparkling thirds at the climax, there is just the one-note melody. The bass is a bit of a stretch, and playing those twelfths over and over again can get your left hand tired quickly. The runs need some practice but I was surprised that I could do one of them rather well right now. The thirds are the part that would get me. I have always had a problem playing thirds.
This piece has an interesting chordal progression which allows it to be expanded into a really impressive epic. It starts in the key of D minor, then goes to F, then C7, and then F. It then transitions through an E7-flatted 9 to A minor, and then the entire piece starts all over again, down a fifth in A minor. It goes through the same types of transitions, from E minor to G major and then to the relative major, in this case C. Through the same type of chord progression it goes into E minor. At this point it takes an abrupt turn into C minor. But up to now we have a chord progression that goes one notch sharpward from D minor to A minor to E minor. My idea is to continue this right on, through B minor, F-sharp minor, C-sharp minor and so forth around the circle of fifths until I get back to D minor again. I tried this once (I since have lost it) in Cakewalk and it does sound impressive - you have to keep adjusting between fifths and fourths to avoid having it descend into the lowest notes of the piano. Getting back to the original piece, the transition from D-flat major to D-flat augmented to D minor is interesting and perverse - the usual sequence goes through D diminished instead. The descending thirds is rather unexpected in the climatic buildup and reminds me of leaves falling from a tree. And of course there is the final descent and the three low D tolls at the end, signaling the end of the piece and of Opus 28. And so that ends this sequence of reviews as well.
Not with my "Just add one" philosophy. There are more. I have decided to add two more Preludes, because of their interest to me. One is a posthumous prelude in G-sharp Major. All right, it is in A flat. I was trying to avoid duplicating a key, which is impossible now since all keys have been covered. The other is the one I mentioned earlier in connection with Number 15, "Mercury", also in A-flat, an intriguing piece with triple time in the treble and duple time. Also, tonight, I noticed that there is a number 25 and a 26 in Opus 28, and I would like to find out more about them. They seem like afterthoughts. So this series is to be continued...
2003/05/27
Chipmunk Chases Squirrels
Recently we upgraded and stocked two bird feeders in our back yard and threw corn cobs out into the yard. This has caused a wild party in our back yard. All kinds of birds arrive to get the food. These include titmice, chickadees, cardinals, robins (who usually don't go for feeders), flickers, red-bellied woodpeckers, blue jays, and even a couple of crows. But the biggest ruckus was kicked up by eight squirrels going after the corn and bird food. We intended them to eat the corn. They do so. They also cart the corn cobs around and we found a squirrel with a cob out in the street two houses down the road! They also fight with each other, chasing each other all over the place. But the most impressive sight I saw was a little chipmunk, so much smaller than the squirrels, appearing from nowhere and scampering around fast. He scared all the squirrels away when he did that! It was comical to see all those squirrels run away. Appearances can cause fear reactions, it seems. Once I saw a rubber ball chase one of our cats. The cat was chasing it when it hit a wall and bounced back. After it did that, the cat ran away from the ball. So surprise may be the element in Chipmunk David chasing all those Squirrel Goliaths away.
Recently we upgraded and stocked two bird feeders in our back yard and threw corn cobs out into the yard. This has caused a wild party in our back yard. All kinds of birds arrive to get the food. These include titmice, chickadees, cardinals, robins (who usually don't go for feeders), flickers, red-bellied woodpeckers, blue jays, and even a couple of crows. But the biggest ruckus was kicked up by eight squirrels going after the corn and bird food. We intended them to eat the corn. They do so. They also cart the corn cobs around and we found a squirrel with a cob out in the street two houses down the road! They also fight with each other, chasing each other all over the place. But the most impressive sight I saw was a little chipmunk, so much smaller than the squirrels, appearing from nowhere and scampering around fast. He scared all the squirrels away when he did that! It was comical to see all those squirrels run away. Appearances can cause fear reactions, it seems. Once I saw a rubber ball chase one of our cats. The cat was chasing it when it hit a wall and bounced back. After it did that, the cat ran away from the ball. So surprise may be the element in Chipmunk David chasing all those Squirrel Goliaths away.
First Anniversary
I almost did not notice. At the middle of this month, I completed my first year of keeping a weblog entitled Blogtrek. I noticed it evolve as I kept contributing to it for the past year. I was made aware of blogs from a friend at church who kept one. I found the idea of keeping some sort of journal online intriguing so I went with it. At first I put in a lot of blogs about how the day went and things I thought about ("Fireflies", for instance). Then it evolved into more political talk, such as my commentary on PETA's protest at Victoria's Secret's show. As of late I have been putting in more personal stuff in, culminating in my review of Chopin's Opus 28 Preludes. Today's by the way is "Floating", Opus 28, Number 23, in F major. I found that it takes time to compose these blogs, and it does make my thoughts about things, such as what I will do after I retire, sharper. So I now continue into my second year of Blogtrek, blogging where no one has blogged before…
I almost did not notice. At the middle of this month, I completed my first year of keeping a weblog entitled Blogtrek. I noticed it evolve as I kept contributing to it for the past year. I was made aware of blogs from a friend at church who kept one. I found the idea of keeping some sort of journal online intriguing so I went with it. At first I put in a lot of blogs about how the day went and things I thought about ("Fireflies", for instance). Then it evolved into more political talk, such as my commentary on PETA's protest at Victoria's Secret's show. As of late I have been putting in more personal stuff in, culminating in my review of Chopin's Opus 28 Preludes. Today's by the way is "Floating", Opus 28, Number 23, in F major. I found that it takes time to compose these blogs, and it does make my thoughts about things, such as what I will do after I retire, sharper. So I now continue into my second year of Blogtrek, blogging where no one has blogged before…
Floating: Chopin's Prelude in F Major
Have you, as a child, blown bubbles and watch them float away? or perhaps you launched a paper airplane and watched it soar in the air currents, or maybe a balloon or a bunch of balloons? Don't you wish you could float away for an afternoon? That is what Chopin's Prelude Opus 28, Number 23 reminds me of. Its up and down strains remind me of floating around. The music is fairly organized - an F section, and then one in C, then one in F again, then to the sub-dominant in B-flat and back to F again. But it still gives me the impression of disordered drifting, as it continues to soar. Each section is about a fifth higher than the previous until the prelude is twinkling the highest keys of the keyboard. Then it drifts down like a balloon that has burst or hit a downdraft back into the middle of the keyboard. What happens next is really interesting. Chopin closes with an F arpeggio in both hands first together up, then treble up-bass down, and right at the turn point Chopin throws in an out-of-key E-flat. That colors the entire ending. It feels incomplete, as an F7 chord wants to resolve to B-flat, yet this continues right up into an F. But it does fit in with the floating nature of the piece, and one might consider this to be another blue note that Chopin has thrown into his music, an elusive out-of-chord note reminiscent of his Posthumous Prelude in A-flat, with a B-Flat in the final A-flat ending. As far as playing it, it is not too hard, although it feels awkward with the fingers overlapping the thumb on the descending notes. A good song for a lazy spring day.
Have you, as a child, blown bubbles and watch them float away? or perhaps you launched a paper airplane and watched it soar in the air currents, or maybe a balloon or a bunch of balloons? Don't you wish you could float away for an afternoon? That is what Chopin's Prelude Opus 28, Number 23 reminds me of. Its up and down strains remind me of floating around. The music is fairly organized - an F section, and then one in C, then one in F again, then to the sub-dominant in B-flat and back to F again. But it still gives me the impression of disordered drifting, as it continues to soar. Each section is about a fifth higher than the previous until the prelude is twinkling the highest keys of the keyboard. Then it drifts down like a balloon that has burst or hit a downdraft back into the middle of the keyboard. What happens next is really interesting. Chopin closes with an F arpeggio in both hands first together up, then treble up-bass down, and right at the turn point Chopin throws in an out-of-key E-flat. That colors the entire ending. It feels incomplete, as an F7 chord wants to resolve to B-flat, yet this continues right up into an F. But it does fit in with the floating nature of the piece, and one might consider this to be another blue note that Chopin has thrown into his music, an elusive out-of-chord note reminiscent of his Posthumous Prelude in A-flat, with a B-Flat in the final A-flat ending. As far as playing it, it is not too hard, although it feels awkward with the fingers overlapping the thumb on the descending notes. A good song for a lazy spring day.
2003/05/26
Flood
One thing I have been noting is the increase in the number of cloudy and rainy days we have had. This past month have had two or three spells of it and not much sunshine. The sun finally came out today, on Memorial Day. That's the day that the pool is supposed to open in my development - officially anyway, with a kickoff party. But there was no party today. Rainy after rainy day has saturated our water table. Last night, a thunderstorm came and it simply poured and poured here, a solid wall of water. When I got up in the morning I had found that 3.75 inches of rain had fallen overnight, and further, I had recorded 0.83 inches the previous day for a total of 4.58 inches. This caused massive flooding in our development. The creek rose up about 6 to 8 feet, swamping the little park that our development has. Further, the water came over the level of the swimming pool, putting dirty water into the pool and damaging some of the buildings. I went over there today and they tell me the pool will be closed for a week. I suppose they have to pump it out, clean it out, and then fill it with fresh water and chlorinate it. I don't know what they would do about the damage to the buildings - about 6 inches of water there. In any case, if someone tells me if we have a drought now, I will show them our development with its flooded park and swimming pool. It's OK to sprinkle our lawns now, except for one thing. The lawns clearly don't need any sprinking.
One thing I have been noting is the increase in the number of cloudy and rainy days we have had. This past month have had two or three spells of it and not much sunshine. The sun finally came out today, on Memorial Day. That's the day that the pool is supposed to open in my development - officially anyway, with a kickoff party. But there was no party today. Rainy after rainy day has saturated our water table. Last night, a thunderstorm came and it simply poured and poured here, a solid wall of water. When I got up in the morning I had found that 3.75 inches of rain had fallen overnight, and further, I had recorded 0.83 inches the previous day for a total of 4.58 inches. This caused massive flooding in our development. The creek rose up about 6 to 8 feet, swamping the little park that our development has. Further, the water came over the level of the swimming pool, putting dirty water into the pool and damaging some of the buildings. I went over there today and they tell me the pool will be closed for a week. I suppose they have to pump it out, clean it out, and then fill it with fresh water and chlorinate it. I don't know what they would do about the damage to the buildings - about 6 inches of water there. In any case, if someone tells me if we have a drought now, I will show them our development with its flooded park and swimming pool. It's OK to sprinkle our lawns now, except for one thing. The lawns clearly don't need any sprinking.
Tumult: Chopin's Prelude in G Minor
UNFAIR! NO MORE WAR! XYZ COMPANY UNFAIR TO UNION WORKERS! DUMP THE HUMP! USA GO HOME! Can you feel it? This is the prelude of the protest movement, of social unrest and of demonstrations. Another Chopin piece that resembles this prelude is his Revolutionary Etude. Yes, Chopin's Prelude in G minor, Opus 28, number 22, is the tumultuous one, hence my name for it. Its tempestuous phrases build up to a climax similar to that of Prelude 18's, then it fades away, as though the energy of the protestors was suddenly zapped. This prelude differs from Prelude 18 (in F minor) in that 18's phrases seem like isolated fits, while 22's is more continuous, incessant, and demanding. It is this incessant pounding in the middle that reminds me of a protest movement, especially one that turns into a melee or a revolution. The piece jumps octaves all over the place, making this one a hard one to master, although with some practice I found that I could do it. But it is a good one for a protest group to play before going out into the streets.
UNFAIR! NO MORE WAR! XYZ COMPANY UNFAIR TO UNION WORKERS! DUMP THE HUMP! USA GO HOME! Can you feel it? This is the prelude of the protest movement, of social unrest and of demonstrations. Another Chopin piece that resembles this prelude is his Revolutionary Etude. Yes, Chopin's Prelude in G minor, Opus 28, number 22, is the tumultuous one, hence my name for it. Its tempestuous phrases build up to a climax similar to that of Prelude 18's, then it fades away, as though the energy of the protestors was suddenly zapped. This prelude differs from Prelude 18 (in F minor) in that 18's phrases seem like isolated fits, while 22's is more continuous, incessant, and demanding. It is this incessant pounding in the middle that reminds me of a protest movement, especially one that turns into a melee or a revolution. The piece jumps octaves all over the place, making this one a hard one to master, although with some practice I found that I could do it. But it is a good one for a protest group to play before going out into the streets.
2003/05/24
April: Chopin's Prelude in B-flat Major
Chopin's Prelude in B-flat Major, Opus 28, Number 21, is dominated by patterns in which two notes in unison or close to each other move farther and farther apart from each other, usually in the bass. It seems like this prelude is continually opening up throughout. When I hear those chords, I imagine a flower blooming in fast motion. So this is the Opening Up Prelude. I call it "April" because "April" means opening up; it is similar to the Spanish word abrir, meaning to open. The prelude is not too hard to play although there are some stretches here and there.
To me this prelude symbolizes the never-ending quest for truth and meaning, the fourth principle of my religious group, Unitarian Universalism. It starts with the opening up portions in the bass. To me this symbolizes Discovery, the things we find out about our existence that we have not known before. It is a never ending quest of constant opening up. Occasionally a discovery comes that is so dramatic that it seems that we found The Answer. This appears in the prelude as the booming, blaring middle part in the key of G-flat. It sounds like the Ultimate Trumpet above saying "This is The Answer!!". It is so perfect in harmony and its chords are so loud and clear that we feel that we have found the answer for everything. But look again. This passage is almost all on black keys. It seems that we have ignored a lot. At best it is only a partial answer. So we look at it again and get doubts about it. In the prelude this comes out as the G-flat 7 part, which comes in like a question mark. That F-flat makes the chord unsettled. It is not even the usual type of flat. People think of flats as being black keys, but this one is a white key, the one normally called E. It makes us wonder. Do we have the answer? We begin to have doubts. The revelation begins to lose some of its sparkle. Then the prelude reverts back to the April part where everything opens up. It concludes with the opening-ups still continuing. To me these musical blooms remind me of a part of The Truth opening up to us. Sometimes they strike us like a G-flat thunderbolt, only to have a 7th note take the wind out of the bolt. So what do we do with these blooms? Treasure them while they last. Take advantage of each one, but remember that there is more to life than just these few blooms.
Chopin's Prelude in B-flat Major, Opus 28, Number 21, is dominated by patterns in which two notes in unison or close to each other move farther and farther apart from each other, usually in the bass. It seems like this prelude is continually opening up throughout. When I hear those chords, I imagine a flower blooming in fast motion. So this is the Opening Up Prelude. I call it "April" because "April" means opening up; it is similar to the Spanish word abrir, meaning to open. The prelude is not too hard to play although there are some stretches here and there.
To me this prelude symbolizes the never-ending quest for truth and meaning, the fourth principle of my religious group, Unitarian Universalism. It starts with the opening up portions in the bass. To me this symbolizes Discovery, the things we find out about our existence that we have not known before. It is a never ending quest of constant opening up. Occasionally a discovery comes that is so dramatic that it seems that we found The Answer. This appears in the prelude as the booming, blaring middle part in the key of G-flat. It sounds like the Ultimate Trumpet above saying "This is The Answer!!". It is so perfect in harmony and its chords are so loud and clear that we feel that we have found the answer for everything. But look again. This passage is almost all on black keys. It seems that we have ignored a lot. At best it is only a partial answer. So we look at it again and get doubts about it. In the prelude this comes out as the G-flat 7 part, which comes in like a question mark. That F-flat makes the chord unsettled. It is not even the usual type of flat. People think of flats as being black keys, but this one is a white key, the one normally called E. It makes us wonder. Do we have the answer? We begin to have doubts. The revelation begins to lose some of its sparkle. Then the prelude reverts back to the April part where everything opens up. It concludes with the opening-ups still continuing. To me these musical blooms remind me of a part of The Truth opening up to us. Sometimes they strike us like a G-flat thunderbolt, only to have a 7th note take the wind out of the bolt. So what do we do with these blooms? Treasure them while they last. Take advantage of each one, but remember that there is more to life than just these few blooms.
2003/05/23
Sorrow of a Nation: Chopin's Prelude in C Minor
Chopin's Prelude in C Minor, Opus 28, Number 20, is the most famous of Chopin's Opus 28 preludes. It is part of the repertoire of every moderately advanced youthful piano student and is played frequently at public gatherings, especially funerals and memorial services. It has even become part of a popular rock song in the 1980s. It is in the form of a funeral march, starting out loud and then going soft before building up at the end. It features huge chords which descend the depths of the piano and a melody which practically sings. To me, this mournful sorrow expresses the sorrow of one of Chopin's home countries, Poland. So I follow Joseffy's commentary and call it "Sorrow of a Nation".
Poland has not had a happy history. It was a kingdom at one time in the middle of the second millennium, but Germans, Austrians, and Russians subsequently invaded it and caused it to cease to exist for hundreds of years. It finally gained independence in 1918, only to be divided up again between Russia (Soviet Union) and Germany in World War II, followed by two generations of Communist rule. It is now a democracy, but for most of its history it has not been a good place to live, including Chopin's time, when it was occupied mainly by Russia. I believe that Chopin had Poland in mind when he wrote this song, and he aspired desperately for the day when his country could be its own nation again. In playing it, feel the sorrow of Poland and this will give you a good idea of the dynamics that should be used. In the first stanza, a stanza that runs G7, C7, F-minor feels like it should resolve to the C major again, especially since G major follows it. But it goes instead to C minor - make sure to play E flat instead of E. A magnificent tragic prelude.
Chopin's Prelude in C Minor, Opus 28, Number 20, is the most famous of Chopin's Opus 28 preludes. It is part of the repertoire of every moderately advanced youthful piano student and is played frequently at public gatherings, especially funerals and memorial services. It has even become part of a popular rock song in the 1980s. It is in the form of a funeral march, starting out loud and then going soft before building up at the end. It features huge chords which descend the depths of the piano and a melody which practically sings. To me, this mournful sorrow expresses the sorrow of one of Chopin's home countries, Poland. So I follow Joseffy's commentary and call it "Sorrow of a Nation".
Poland has not had a happy history. It was a kingdom at one time in the middle of the second millennium, but Germans, Austrians, and Russians subsequently invaded it and caused it to cease to exist for hundreds of years. It finally gained independence in 1918, only to be divided up again between Russia (Soviet Union) and Germany in World War II, followed by two generations of Communist rule. It is now a democracy, but for most of its history it has not been a good place to live, including Chopin's time, when it was occupied mainly by Russia. I believe that Chopin had Poland in mind when he wrote this song, and he aspired desperately for the day when his country could be its own nation again. In playing it, feel the sorrow of Poland and this will give you a good idea of the dynamics that should be used. In the first stanza, a stanza that runs G7, C7, F-minor feels like it should resolve to the C major again, especially since G major follows it. But it goes instead to C minor - make sure to play E flat instead of E. A magnificent tragic prelude.
2003/05/22
Puzzle-Piece Syndrome
I ran into a syndrome which is ubiquitous throughout human existence. It occurs when a concept or entity appears in two different forms, and then is regarded by people as being two different objects. An example might be "annual leave" and "PTO". A person knowing what annual leave might be bewildered as to why she loses some annual leave because of something called PTO. Then she finds that PTO is "paid time off", and is the same as annual leave. Another possibility is a transaction between two check accounts. It shows up as $436.74 in one account but as $992.33 in another, because it got included with some other deposits. These don't appear the same, so one records these both into Quicken, and so the $436.74 deposit into the receiving account gets counted twice, resulting in an overdraft. I call it "Puzzle piece syndrome" because it reminds me of the situation in which there are two clumps of put-together puzzle pieces. Then one finds pieces that fit into these that cause them to come together to form one piece.
Mathematics abounds with instances of Puzzle-Piece Syndrome. For example equations such as x2 + 2x - 3 = 0 looks like a series of symbols, and a parabola looks like a curve that a home run makes. But when one plots the equation on paper, the equation turns into a parabola. Understanding the Universe may be one giant case of Puzzle-Piece Syndrome. Magnetism enables a piece of metal to pick up nails and tacks. Electricity causes sparks and makes a current flow through a wire. These don't look at all the same. But they are. To demonstrate that, coil an electric wire about a metal core and the core will pick up nails and tacks when the wire is plugged in. Or, move a piece of metal back and forth across a powerful magnet. This will light a light bulb. In other words, electricity and magnetism are the same. In the same way, Einstein finds that gravity, which makes me fall down from a ladder, and inertia, which makes me fall forward when I trip on a badly constructed sidewalk, are the same. Later on, physicists find that gravity and electromagnetism are the same, so it appears as though understanding the Universe is like solving one big jigsaw puzzle. We have many pieces in place but not all, so we continue to find ways of combining things, of finding instances of Puzzle Piece Syndrome. So it is more than just incomprehensible acronyms and overdrawn check accounts that come from Puzzle Piece Syndrome. It's the very understanding of our Universe that comes from it, for Life indeed is One Big Jigsaw Puzzle without End.
I ran into a syndrome which is ubiquitous throughout human existence. It occurs when a concept or entity appears in two different forms, and then is regarded by people as being two different objects. An example might be "annual leave" and "PTO". A person knowing what annual leave might be bewildered as to why she loses some annual leave because of something called PTO. Then she finds that PTO is "paid time off", and is the same as annual leave. Another possibility is a transaction between two check accounts. It shows up as $436.74 in one account but as $992.33 in another, because it got included with some other deposits. These don't appear the same, so one records these both into Quicken, and so the $436.74 deposit into the receiving account gets counted twice, resulting in an overdraft. I call it "Puzzle piece syndrome" because it reminds me of the situation in which there are two clumps of put-together puzzle pieces. Then one finds pieces that fit into these that cause them to come together to form one piece.
Mathematics abounds with instances of Puzzle-Piece Syndrome. For example equations such as x2 + 2x - 3 = 0 looks like a series of symbols, and a parabola looks like a curve that a home run makes. But when one plots the equation on paper, the equation turns into a parabola. Understanding the Universe may be one giant case of Puzzle-Piece Syndrome. Magnetism enables a piece of metal to pick up nails and tacks. Electricity causes sparks and makes a current flow through a wire. These don't look at all the same. But they are. To demonstrate that, coil an electric wire about a metal core and the core will pick up nails and tacks when the wire is plugged in. Or, move a piece of metal back and forth across a powerful magnet. This will light a light bulb. In other words, electricity and magnetism are the same. In the same way, Einstein finds that gravity, which makes me fall down from a ladder, and inertia, which makes me fall forward when I trip on a badly constructed sidewalk, are the same. Later on, physicists find that gravity and electromagnetism are the same, so it appears as though understanding the Universe is like solving one big jigsaw puzzle. We have many pieces in place but not all, so we continue to find ways of combining things, of finding instances of Puzzle Piece Syndrome. So it is more than just incomprehensible acronyms and overdrawn check accounts that come from Puzzle Piece Syndrome. It's the very understanding of our Universe that comes from it, for Life indeed is One Big Jigsaw Puzzle without End.
Excelsior: Chopin's Prelude in E-flat Major
It took me a long time to figure out what to call Chopin's Opus 28, Number 19 in E-flat. It is a waltz or gavotte of some sort, but it did not seem to have any unusual features. Recently when I played it I noticed that I was having to stretch my hand longer and longer in the treble until eventually I was having to span two octaves with each hand, making this a prelude that is difficult to learn to play. The theme of higher and higher has appeared before, as lower and lower in Opus 28, Number 15 ("Dream") and in Posthumous Etude Number 2 ("Mercury"). I thought of "Higher and Higher" as a name for this prelude but that is the name of a pop song, and I wanted something more interesting. Then I thought of it: Excelsior, which means "ever upward" in Latin and is the motto of my home state, New York. As such it is an inspiring prelude, with its striving to hit loftier and loftier heights, and it fits neatly between the fits of anger of its predecessor and the tragedy of its successor.
It took me a long time to figure out what to call Chopin's Opus 28, Number 19 in E-flat. It is a waltz or gavotte of some sort, but it did not seem to have any unusual features. Recently when I played it I noticed that I was having to stretch my hand longer and longer in the treble until eventually I was having to span two octaves with each hand, making this a prelude that is difficult to learn to play. The theme of higher and higher has appeared before, as lower and lower in Opus 28, Number 15 ("Dream") and in Posthumous Etude Number 2 ("Mercury"). I thought of "Higher and Higher" as a name for this prelude but that is the name of a pop song, and I wanted something more interesting. Then I thought of it: Excelsior, which means "ever upward" in Latin and is the motto of my home state, New York. As such it is an inspiring prelude, with its striving to hit loftier and loftier heights, and it fits neatly between the fits of anger of its predecessor and the tragedy of its successor.
2003/05/21
Virtuoso: Chopin's Prelude in F Minor
Have you ever wanted to get up on a stage and sing a few broad and loud phrases to a sophisticated audience? That is what this piece suggests to me. Chopin's Prelude in F Minor, Opus 28, Number 18, suggests such virtuosity; hence the name, "Virtuoso". It starts with an angry argument that ends in a harsh, off-balance discord, based on F-G-flat. It repeats this argument and then goes into an arpeggioistic fit, followed by the same arguing line, this time in the sub-dominant key of B-flat minor. It then proceeds through a bunch of quarreling phrases, including some with a banging E double-flat in four octaves, and then it descends into the bass, where it mutters and fades into the final chords. It takes a bit of practice to get the running lines down, but once you do, you get a sort of satisfaction out of playing the phrases and then banging the keys when the downbeat chord occurs, sort of like punching a punching bag. It's a good piece to play if you want to boast about your piano-playing ability, or if you want to get some anger off your chest. Take your frustrations out on this piece instead of on your neighbor for raking onto your lawn, and you will be calmer and better able to deal with the crisis. This is one of his better preludes.
Have you ever wanted to get up on a stage and sing a few broad and loud phrases to a sophisticated audience? That is what this piece suggests to me. Chopin's Prelude in F Minor, Opus 28, Number 18, suggests such virtuosity; hence the name, "Virtuoso". It starts with an angry argument that ends in a harsh, off-balance discord, based on F-G-flat. It repeats this argument and then goes into an arpeggioistic fit, followed by the same arguing line, this time in the sub-dominant key of B-flat minor. It then proceeds through a bunch of quarreling phrases, including some with a banging E double-flat in four octaves, and then it descends into the bass, where it mutters and fades into the final chords. It takes a bit of practice to get the running lines down, but once you do, you get a sort of satisfaction out of playing the phrases and then banging the keys when the downbeat chord occurs, sort of like punching a punching bag. It's a good piece to play if you want to boast about your piano-playing ability, or if you want to get some anger off your chest. Take your frustrations out on this piece instead of on your neighbor for raking onto your lawn, and you will be calmer and better able to deal with the crisis. This is one of his better preludes.
2003/05/20
Autumn Idyll: Chopin's Prelude in A-flat Major
This is a magnificent prelude. Opus 28, Number 17 features luscious harmonies and harmonic transitions, a sonorous melody, and a majestic bass that at times reminds me of a huge organ at a cathedral, not to mention the 13 chiming bass A-flats in the last part of the piece that reminds me of a bell tolling out 13 o'clock. To me it reminds me of one of these gorgeous days in the autumn (or in the spring) in the park under the trees, sunny with moderately cool winds, that entice you to spend the entire afternoon out in the park sitting and admiring the nature that is around us. It is one that I learned when I was a child. The most interesting part was that with many of the chords, the left hand overlaps the right, so that if you are not careful, you stumble all over the place on the keyboard when you play it. It starts out with the melody in 6/8 time, or maybe a fast 3/4 waltz. It does have some unexpected transitions, such as E-flat to D-flat instead of the more usual B-flat 7. This tripped me up when I played it for my piano teacher - I kept wanting to play D natural instead of D-flat. It then goes four keys flatwise, and thus into sharps, into the key of E. The harmonies then go from one key to another - C-sharp minor, E7, D-sharp major, C-sharp major and so forth, finally winding up in an alteration between E-flat and A-flat minor. We then return to the main theme, but this time with the volume of an enormous church organ, as the bass hits the lowest keys of the piano. It then goes into a variation of the alternate theme, then goes back into a plain A-flat ending with its bell-like series of A-flats in the bass. This is a piece I want to hear over and over again, and I hope to hear it at a concert sooner or later.
This is a magnificent prelude. Opus 28, Number 17 features luscious harmonies and harmonic transitions, a sonorous melody, and a majestic bass that at times reminds me of a huge organ at a cathedral, not to mention the 13 chiming bass A-flats in the last part of the piece that reminds me of a bell tolling out 13 o'clock. To me it reminds me of one of these gorgeous days in the autumn (or in the spring) in the park under the trees, sunny with moderately cool winds, that entice you to spend the entire afternoon out in the park sitting and admiring the nature that is around us. It is one that I learned when I was a child. The most interesting part was that with many of the chords, the left hand overlaps the right, so that if you are not careful, you stumble all over the place on the keyboard when you play it. It starts out with the melody in 6/8 time, or maybe a fast 3/4 waltz. It does have some unexpected transitions, such as E-flat to D-flat instead of the more usual B-flat 7. This tripped me up when I played it for my piano teacher - I kept wanting to play D natural instead of D-flat. It then goes four keys flatwise, and thus into sharps, into the key of E. The harmonies then go from one key to another - C-sharp minor, E7, D-sharp major, C-sharp major and so forth, finally winding up in an alteration between E-flat and A-flat minor. We then return to the main theme, but this time with the volume of an enormous church organ, as the bass hits the lowest keys of the piano. It then goes into a variation of the alternate theme, then goes back into a plain A-flat ending with its bell-like series of A-flats in the bass. This is a piece I want to hear over and over again, and I hope to hear it at a concert sooner or later.
2003/05/19
Scurrying: Chopin's Prelude in B-flat Minor
Chopin's Prelude Opus 28, Number 16 runs all over the place and is not the easiest to master. It features jumpy triples of notes in the bass, and a scurrying around in the treble going up and down the black keys of the piano, with an occasional breakout to the white keys to provide the F7 dominants. I tried playing it and although I could get the general action of the running up and down the keyboard, I could not get it perfect, and coordinating it with the jumpy left hand is even harder yet. The entire piece reminds me of someone running around and scurrying all over the place, sort of like a mouse running all about the floor looking for cheese or for a place to hide from the cat. So I call this one "Scurrying". It continues for four pages of printed music scurrying almost non-stop until it drifts down into the bass, sort of like the mouse finding the hole in the wall, and then pum! pum! it's all over; he's in his hole. Chopin does not break any ground with this one with the usual standard harmonies of B-flat minor, E-flat minor, and F7th. But it still is an interesting one to listen to, and it will get your heart pumping.
By the way, I have now posted a web page consisting entirely of Chopin's Opus 28. Not all the links work on it yet, because this page will not go ahead of this blog. After I blog a prelude, I will also put it on the web page.
Chopin's Prelude Opus 28, Number 16 runs all over the place and is not the easiest to master. It features jumpy triples of notes in the bass, and a scurrying around in the treble going up and down the black keys of the piano, with an occasional breakout to the white keys to provide the F7 dominants. I tried playing it and although I could get the general action of the running up and down the keyboard, I could not get it perfect, and coordinating it with the jumpy left hand is even harder yet. The entire piece reminds me of someone running around and scurrying all over the place, sort of like a mouse running all about the floor looking for cheese or for a place to hide from the cat. So I call this one "Scurrying". It continues for four pages of printed music scurrying almost non-stop until it drifts down into the bass, sort of like the mouse finding the hole in the wall, and then pum! pum! it's all over; he's in his hole. Chopin does not break any ground with this one with the usual standard harmonies of B-flat minor, E-flat minor, and F7th. But it still is an interesting one to listen to, and it will get your heart pumping.
By the way, I have now posted a web page consisting entirely of Chopin's Opus 28. Not all the links work on it yet, because this page will not go ahead of this blog. After I blog a prelude, I will also put it on the web page.
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