music/muzak

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On many online things, I’m a real late-adopter. So, three years after the inception of Audioscrobbler, I’ve joined in. Like wonderful electric, my collection isn’t much to brag about (actually, his is rather better than mine). Perhaps if I was willing to take more risks and download music via torrent-like apps, I’d have a better collection of new tracks. But since everything on my iPod/powerbook comes from my CD collection, it’s embarrassingly fuddy-duddy and BritPop-y. I know I’m not the only person under 60 to enjoy classical music, but how many have Andras Schiff as their current top overall artist on last.fm?

Something needed to be done about this appalling out-of-touchness. Easy solution? A few not-too-expensive purchases from iTunes (US):

Since my new policy is not to buy stuff I don’t want to have to pay to ship home, buying songs/albums via iTunes is not a bad way to plump up my music collection. Although the US and UK versions have different catalogues, it’s probably not a bad thing to try out non-British bands, and even sample some country music. I miss browsing in Avalanche (ex-lunchtime haunt), Fopp (weekend timewasting) or the Stockbridge charity shops (where my entire LP collection of old jazz and classical recordings was purchased). But looking through the “neighbours” option on last.fm makes up for it, introducing me to music I’ve never come across, and reassuring me that my eclectic mix is not that uncommon.

And should any passing reader with good taste in music feel like helping out a prematurely-aged (music-wise) blogger, some suggestions in the comments would be nice.

Swearing

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Linguists Marvel at Audacity of Yugoslav Swear Words (via wonderful electric).

The differences in everyday swearing are shown in this humorous anecdote from the Serbian business dictionary: elsewhere around the world old friends greet each other with “Hi, it’s been a long time!” But, the Serbian translation reads “Đe si pizda ti materina?” (“Motherfucker! where’ve you been?”) The question: what is that man’s function in the business translates to “Koji je on kurac tamo?” (“Which dick is that one?”). The thought that a project can be accomplished is most properly shown by the expression “Ma to je pičkin dim!” (“that cunt’s smokin’!”).

The world can’t wait

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Drive out the Bush regime!

The world can't wait I

Demonstration in Westwood last night, looping around Westwood, taking in the Federal Building and the southern end of UCLA’s campus. Seemed an all-encompassing demonstration, with representation from various ends of the political spectrum, all with a common dislike (may be too mild, try hated…) of the Bush regime.

Wish I had better photos to show, but it’s difficult to walk and shoot, although I’m sure the firearm-bearing motorcade would have had no problems. Favourite poster of the night: good bush, bad bush (use your imagination).

The talk around my end of campus (overheard while wandering the medical plaza with my student, looking for reagents to scrounge) was more of how folk had been given half the afternoon off to get off campus before the roads were shut, and somewhat less about taking part in the political process. Which made me think about how some sections of society have become so comfortable that they fail to look outside their little circle. Sure, they’ll give money to charities when disasters like Hurrican Katrina strike. But should something affect the comfort and regularity of their daily lives, instead of stopping to discuss why there is such disaffection with the current US government, they bitch about having to pick up their kids early and the traffic jams they’ll have to endure to get home.

P and I walked with them, then walked home. No problems whatsoever.

The world can't wait II The world can't wait III The world can't wait IV

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