tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47613665907484588912024-03-05T17:46:03.547-08:00My Island ElysiumI've lived on this Island all my life.Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-87969927329903654022011-04-25T22:06:00.000-07:002011-04-25T22:20:12.840-07:00Goodbye Kings<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I just watched the Kings get eliminated from the NHL playoffs, losing <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2010030166&navid=DL%7CNHL%7Chome">a heartbreaking Game 6 in overtime</a>. The series was lost, of course, when the Kings collapsed in Game 3, choking a 4-0 lead away on their way to a 6-5 loss. Still, while the <a href="http://canucks.nhl.com/">Vancouver Canucks</a> --<a href="http://canucks.nhl.com/club/recap.htm?id=2010030156">speaking of choking</a>-- will always be my favorite NHL team, I've grown to love this edition of the Kings. They have some really good young talent, a good blend of veterans and younger players and a great coach/GM combo in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/image/4d398fe6ccd1d5da6e2d0000/dean-lombardi-terry-murray-los-angeles-kings.jpg">Terry Murray and Dean Lombardi</a>. If they can add some depth on the 3rd and 4th lines and some muscle on defense, they could go places in the next few years. At this point, I'm just glad they've made the playoffs two years in a row.<br /><br />Go Canucks on Tuesday, I hope that Game 7 is as exciting as the game tonight was. </span><br /></div>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-36102080032521060502011-04-25T19:50:00.000-07:002011-04-25T20:44:42.349-07:00Dagnabbit<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ontherodeoroad.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/otrrcordmccoy.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 433px;" src="http://ontherodeoroad.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/otrrcordmccoy.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >(<a href="http://ontherodeoroad.com/celeb-cowboy-cord-mccoy-puts-on-no-airs/">via</a>)</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;">I love <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race/">The Amazing Race</a>. I've seen every episode in what is now their <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amazing_Race_18">18th season</a> and while the format --teams of two who are somehow connected race around the world for a million bucks-- and the cliches that they love --teams that hate each other, fighting between teammates, the slick editing of "reality"-- are firmly in place and not going to change, I eagerly download the show on Sunday.<br /><br />My favorite team of all is <a href="http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race/cast/18/jet-and-cord/">The Cowboys</a>, brothers <a href="http://blog.newsok.com/bamsblog/files/2010/12/jet-and-cord-mccoy.jpg">Jet and Cord McCoy</a>. They are working cowboys, with Cord competing on the <a href="http://www.pbrnow.com/riders/?id=1960">PBR circuit</a>. Ever since the first time I was introduced to them, I've had the hots for Cord. Damn! <a href="http://pbrcanada.com/images/news/9376.jpg">Pale skin</a>? Check. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQLuOG32N0Y-hCtKAqkYQQXfE43Mvs_wQTDsjfKkCuu1GaK0ZJHTeHOlIWg5KEcqd9LD0lYFov7x1x_7McxqciPaTTF9JC5ITRGNK663eXsx_fZVVlGnLcdoXFuaisgfGIKDRUC9IdmA7/s1600/jet_cord20.jpg">Nice body</a> but not a <a href="http://www.verticaljumping.com/images/muscles.jpg">grotesque pile of muscles</a>? Check. <a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1240/871800110_4071ad4482.jpg">Cute face</a>? Yep. <a href="http://www.raising-redheads.com/images/Cord-McCoy.jpg">Red hair and piercing blue eyes</a>? Oh. my. gawd! A bit of chest hair? Woo hoo! OK, it's really light and I couldn't find a good picture of his chest hair, but still. Add a terrific "Okie" accent and a sly sense of humor and I've just loved watching him for the two seasons he's been on The Race.<br /><br />Alas, it all ended last night as Jet and Cord <a href="http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race/recaps/1809/recaps.php">got eliminated</a> (again). Unlike their first try, where they almost won, they seemed out of sorts this season. Although they won the 5th leg, they seemed to have trouble reading clues this time around and the other teams definitely didn't do anything to help them (a smart strategy as it turns out). Oh well, it was a great run on both editions that were in and did I mention that <a href="http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/trib.com/content/tncms/assets/editorial/9/26/e2f/926e2fc2-38e4-11df-94b7-001cc4c002e0.preview-300.jpg">Cord McCoy</a> is smokin' hot?<br /></div>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-25428945048622404202011-04-22T20:01:00.000-07:002011-04-22T20:31:59.436-07:00Friday astronomy blogging<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6bxOWn-boGaBiOXlNaH_KtBXszR-xCt3satPU1Ysbh9eJYOdu20doRh-cvSJNQmf2iOiD0It_CP9Zzolz-6iH-rvLkqOoLp4CegHsjyW5AuE47vBTv68tfnJUaJh4SbUer0kAjrxGwR4/s1600/16.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6bxOWn-boGaBiOXlNaH_KtBXszR-xCt3satPU1Ysbh9eJYOdu20doRh-cvSJNQmf2iOiD0It_CP9Zzolz-6iH-rvLkqOoLp4CegHsjyW5AuE47vBTv68tfnJUaJh4SbUer0kAjrxGwR4/s320/16.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598616362973365090" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">(click to enlarge on a new page)</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >(copyright Matthew Spinelli)</span> <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />I've been fascinated by astronomy since I was a kid living in Hawai'i, where the stars and constellations are quite visible away from the light pollution of Honolulu. This will be a regular feature highlighting interesting astronomical images from around the Internet. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;">I thought I'd start out with the most popular asterism in the Northern Hemisphere, the Orion complex (via the awesome and addictive <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/">Astronomy Picture of the Day</a>). It's all there in this widefield view: <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110121.html">the belt, the famous Horsehead Nebula, the Flame Nebula</a>, <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap081023.html">M42</a>, <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap030302.html">The Trapezium</a>, <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100106.html">Betelgeuse</a>, <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap091229.html">Rigel</a>. <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap101023.html">The Orion molecular cloud </a>is next door in cosmological terms, a mere 1,500 light years.</span><br /></div>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-37590840202062610462011-04-21T21:10:00.000-07:002011-04-21T21:49:10.173-07:00Colts 2011 Schedule<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.sportslogos.net/images/logos/7/158/full/593.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 325px; height: 325px;" src="http://www.sportslogos.net/images/logos/7/158/full/593.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;">Until <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_Frontiere">the hooker from St. Louis</a> first destroyed them, then moved them <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BpMgNcZq53c/R5FFkkWKpCI/AAAAAAAAArk/VScRtaLOtts/s320/georgia-frontiere-whore.jpg">to her hometown</a>, I was a <a href="http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nfl/larams/larams.html">Rams</a> fan, along with a passing fancy for <a href="http://www.hotstoveleague.org/images/griese.jpe">Bob Griese</a>, erm, the <a href="http://www.insidesocal.com/tomhoffarth/archives/1972MiamiDolphinsTeam-PerfectSeason.jpg">Dolphins</a>. Since then, I've been a free agent fan and since <a href="http://40ozsports.com/wp-content/woo_custom/49-peyton_manning_2.jpg">Peyton Manning</a> ended up there, I've been an <a href="http://www.colts.com/">Indianapolis Colts</a> fan. Last season was unreal, the injuries being both <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/colts_survive_rash_of_injuries_xFNkY9aR6hlrge1eVSJlwM">plentiful and damaging</a> to key players, but the Ponies still made the playoffs.<br /><br />The NFL released the 2011* schedules this week and it's an interesting slate.<br /><br /></div><ul style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"><li>September 11 @ Houston Texans</li><li>September 18 Cleveland Browns</li><li>September 25 Pittsburgh Steelers</li><li>October 3 @ Tampa Buccaneers (Monday)</li><li>October 9 Kansas City Chiefs</li><li>October 16 @ Cincinnati Bengals</li><li>October 23 @ New Orleans Saints</li><li>October 30 @ Tennessee Titans</li><li>November 6 Atlanta Falcons</li><li>November 13 Jacksonville Jaguars</li><li>November 20 Bye</li><li>November 27 Carolina Panthers</li><li>December 4 @ New England Patriots</li><li>December 11 @ Baltimore Ravens</li><li>December 18 Tennessee Titans</li><li>December 22 Houston Texans (Thursday)</li><li>January 1 @ Jacksonville Jaguars</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;">The NFL schedule makers must have cum in their pants when they figured out that the opening Sunday of the season coincided with the tenth anniversary of <a href="http://www.unitedheroes.com/Mark-Bingham.html">9/11</a>. The NFL *loves* to <a href="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/0920/nfl_a_cowboystadium_600.jpg">wrap themselves in the flag</a> and <a href="http://i.usatoday.net/sports/gallery/2009/NFL/weeklygallery/week6/s091019_broncos.jpg">flaunt fighter planes</a> as much as they can, so it's perfect.<br /><br />Another opener in Houston, that <a href="http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010091203/2010/REG1/colts@texans">didn't work out</a> so well last year. Luckily, the Steelers game is at home, while it's too bad the Patriots game is in <a href="http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/2807062.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF878921F7C3FC3F69D929FDC7E7EB0B41F3680C4630D943EE6907427EE246F67BAC3879E30A760B0D811297">Foxboro in early December</a>. Getting the Saints and Falcons in two out of three weeks is tough, but hey, they play the Browns and Bengals so it evens out.<br /><br />My prediction: 11-5, bye in the playoffs.<br /><br />* Contingent on the season starting on time, obviously<br /></div>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-994038324748060572011-04-21T20:53:00.000-07:002011-04-21T21:53:35.789-07:00It was nice while it lasted<div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;">I'm sitting here watching Game 4 of the <a href="http://www.nhl.com/cup/round1/6.html?navid=nhl-matchup-matchmod">Kings v. Sharks series</a> and the Kings have given up three goals in about six minutes. It looks like the <a href="http://kings.nhl.com/club/recap.htm?id=2010030163">disastrous collapse from Tuesday</a> has taken its toll and the Sharks talent superiority is starting to assert itself.<br /><br />Wow, Brad Richardson just scored for the Kings, 3-1 Sharks. That's just a tease, the Sharks will win tonight and then close out the series on Saturday at the <a href="http://www.themusicage.com/_files/pic/image/a6af98b3cf582fe84f763eb3af774d7a.jpg">Shark Tank</a>. The Kings had an excellent season, one in which they had 10 straight road games because Staples was being used for the NBA All-Star game and the Grammy's. They need to get some scoring help on the 3rd and 4th lines and some bulk on defense, but this is a young team overall and full of potential. <br /><br />A bit shocking to see that my "other" team, the OH SHIT the Kings just scored when a defenseman for San Jose tipped the puck in to his own net. <span style="font-weight: bold;">BELIEVE BABY!</span> (and ignore what I wrote previously). Anyways, surprising to see the Canucks getting schooled by the Blackhawks 5-0, in Game 5 after cruising to a 3-0 series lead.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATE: </span>Believing is for suckers, the Kings gave up two goals in the first 3:22 of the third period, 5-2 Sharks. *sigh*<br /></div>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-1029913032822522252011-04-19T19:43:00.000-07:002011-04-19T20:32:51.481-07:00öffnet den Schrein!<div style="text-align: justify;">The greatest night I've ever had in an opera house was in 2003 when I was blown away by a production of <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/die-gezeichneten-staatsoper-stuttgart-germany-brder-schatzgraeber-opernhaus-frankfurt-germany-601773.html">Schreker's <span style="font-style: italic;">Die Gezeichneten</span></a> at the <a href="http://www.staatstheater.stuttgart.de/oper/start.htm">Staatsoper Stuttgart</a>. It was one of those magical nights that are like heroin to opera lovers, a night where a masterpiece --as <a href="http://entartetemusik.blogspot.com/2010/04/mans-inhumanity-to-man.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Die Gezeichneten </span></a>surely is-- meets superb singing, a great staging and a magician in the pit. I also attended a performance of the Der<i> Schatzgräber </i>mentioned in the linked review, but it was a horrible David Alden production only rescued by a superb musical performance. <br /><br />I was reminded of that shattering performance of <span style="font-style: italic;">Die Gezeichneten</span> today while reading James Jorden's (aka <a href="http://parterre.com/">La Cieca</a>) <a href="http://www.musicalamerica.com/mablogs/?p=940">superb analysis of another Stuttgart production</a>, <a href="http://operatoronto.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/calixtobieito11.jpg">Calixto Bieito</a>'s post-apocalyptic <a href="http://intermezzo.typepad.com/intermezzo/2010/03/first-photo-of-bieitos-stuttgart-parsifal.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Parsifal</span></a>. I'm a burned-out Wagnerian, tired of his musical long-windedness, characters I don't give a damn about and, well, Wagnerians. I do make the exception for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tristan-Isolde-Richard-Wagner/dp/B000001GXS"><span style="font-style: italic;">Tristan und Isolde</span></a>, easily in the running for sobriquet "Greatest Opera Ever Written" and <span style="font-style: italic;">Parsifal</span>.<br /><br />What I love about Mr. Jorden's piece is that he works from a premise that is alien to a lot of American opera-goers: taking seriously a production that isn't remotely set in the time and place specified in the libretto. This is a typical response, from operagirl40 at Parterre:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">What absolute GARBAGE! The only one who should have been urinated on……….is the director!</span><br /><br />Zzzzzzzzzzzz. I've had good (the Peter Sellars Malibu beach house <span style="font-style: italic;">Pelleas et Melisande </span>here in Los Angeles) and bad (the Lenhoff "let's stare at 3 gray walls for 4 1/2 hours" <span style="font-style: italic;">Parsifal</span> at ENO) experiences with so-called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regietheater">Regietheter</a>, but give me something that makes me think over boring period sets and park-and-bark singers.<br /><br />I'd love for the Bieito <span style="font-style: italic;">Parsifal</span> to show up within 5,000 miles of me, but that's very unlikely, as is a DVD/download release. <br /></div>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-85751334173785533972011-04-14T21:19:00.001-07:002011-04-19T19:43:29.768-07:00In Praise Of The Mamas and The Papas<div style="text-align: left;">As a quirk of history would have it, I was born in 1959, as the original rock n' roll movement was going through its death throes: <a href="http://www.elvis.com.au/presley/elvisandtheusarmy.shtml">Elvis in the Army</a>, returning to civilian life to make mediocre records and a string of horrible movies; Buddy Holly and the extremely promising Richie Valens (and The Big Bopper too) <a href="http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/h/Buddy%20Holly/buddy_holly.htm">dead in a frozen Iowa field</a>; Chuck Berry was about to be convicted of transporting a 14-year girl over state lines <a href="http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/chuck-berry-is-arrested-on-mann-act-charges-in-st-louis-missouri">"for immoral purposes"</a> and sent to The Big House for almost two years; and others simply dead <a href="http://www.eddiecochran.info/">too young</a> or <a href="http://www.billhaley.com/">past their prime</a>.<br /></div><br />When the greatest rock band ever --shut up, all your arguments are invalid and I'll gladly expound AT GREAT LENGTH WHY-- <a href="http://www.beatles.com/">The Beatles</a> burst on the American scene in early 1964, I was just becoming conscious of TV. By the time I had my own "first love" band in the form of The Pre-Fab Four aka <a href="http://www.monkees.com/">The Monkees</a> in 1967, I was a full-fledged music fan. It helped that my awesome Dad had big record collection of everything from <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5018930">Johnny Cash</a> to <a href="http://www.nndb.com/people/721/000031628/">Walter (later Wendy)</a> Carlos' <a href="http://www.wendycarlos.com/+sob.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Switched On Bach</span></a> to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stravinsky-Sacre-du-printemps-Markevich/dp/B000003XJH">Stravinsky</a> and two older sisters and an older brother who got all the latest releases.<br /><br />Part of that mix was <a href="http://rockhall.com/inductees/the-mamas-and-the-papas/bio/">The Mamas and the Papas</a>, one of the great vocal harmony groups in an era of great vocal harmony groups. If I was to name my favorite 20 songs, the M&P's <span style="font-style: italic;">Go Where You Wanna Go</span> would easily make the list.<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RzG-BP6RYko" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe><br /><br />The harmonies, the lyrics reflecting that all-too-brief period in American (and British) life ca. 1964-1967 when it seemed anything was possible (<span style="font-style: italic;">Go where you wanna go/And do what you what wanna do/With whoever you want, babe</span>), the wonderful <a href="http://www.tsimon.com/adler.htm">Lou Adler</a>/<a href="http://www.boneshowe.com/Bones%20Howe%20by%20Hoyt%20Coffee.htm">Bones Howe</a> production, and for this bass guitarist, the wonderful bass line by the great <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Osborn">Joe Osborn</a>, it all adds up to 2:30 of aural bliss.<br /><br />What blows me away is that John Phillips, the M&P's leader and songwriter, has a reputation as a great songwriter that lasts to this day based on maybe a dozen songs. Another favorite is autobiographical <span style="font-style: italic;">Creeque Alley</span> (pronounced Creeky Alley), seen to great effect in this playful lip-sync job:<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IjJlgFBjJ6s" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The Mamas and the Papas lasted a little under three years in their original run (I'll ignore the contractual obligation reunion(s)), breaking up amid drug abuse, members tending to sleep with one another and the usual "I'll be more successful as a solo act" hubris, but I just have to hear those golden harmonies on my favorite songs of theirs and it's pure musical bliss.<br /></div>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-82386749202054340612011-04-14T19:16:00.000-07:002011-04-14T20:48:16.052-07:00Plane Porn 1<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Having grown <a href="http://www.travis.af.mil/">up</a> <a href="http://www.15wing.af.mil/">on</a> <a href="http://www.jointbasemdl.af.mil/">Air Force</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Air_Force_Base">bases</a>, it's almost inevitable that I would develop an interest in planes. There's the coolest plane ever, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_P-51_Mustang">P-51</a>; the thank-FSM-it-wasn't-ready-in-1940 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ME-262">ME262</a>; the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_U-2">U-2</a>; the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-15">X-15</a> and my favorite of all, XB-70 Valkyrie (</span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://xb70.interceptor.com/">via</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> this great site):</span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www2.interceptor.com/%7Ethumper/xb2/xb70to.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 405px; height: 336px;" src="http://www2.interceptor.com/%7Ethumper/xb2/xb70to.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">The origins of the Valkyrie date back to the 1950's, when a supersonic long-range bomber was proposed. After a tortuous R&D phase, 2 of the finished design were built by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Aviation">North American Aviation</a> (now <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockwell_International">Rockwell_International</a>). Sadly, one of them was destroyed in a <a href="http://xb70.interceptor.com/#midair">horrible midair collision</a> during a freakin' photo op and <a href="http://www.check-six.com/Crash_Sites/XB-70_crash_site.htm">ended up as a smudge</a> on the floor of the Mojave Desert. The other is a still-popular tourist attraction at <a href="http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/">Wright-Patterson AFB</a> in Dayton, Ohio. For a young son of an Air Force flight engineer, the XB-70 simply was what <a href="http://strawdogs.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/the-jetsons1.jpg">The Future was going to look like</a>. Of course, history isn't really concerned with what 8-year old boys want!</span><br /></div>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-18297066374489104132011-04-14T19:11:00.000-07:002011-04-14T22:34:07.553-07:00Na na na na na na na na Hey Hey Goodbye!<span style="font-family:arial;">Yes, it's barely two minutes in to Game 1 of a best-of-seven series, but I'm already putting a fork in the <a href="http://kings.nhl.com/">Los Angeles Kings</a> chances winning this series. <a href="http://www.myconfinedspace.com/wp-content/uploads/tdomf/147194/dany_heatley%20sharks.jpg">Dany Heatley</a> scores :28 in to Game 1 and already the Kings are in a hole. With their <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2011/03/kings-anze-kopitar-jonathan-quick-ryan-smyth-trevor-lewis-nhl.html">top offensive player out</a>, it was always going to be tough, but....crap.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >UPDATE:</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> Well blow me: 2-2 after the second period. No no no no no no, it's a total tease.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATE II: </span>Dammit. I don't know what's a step down from "heartbreaking" (which would be losing a Game 7), but to give up a goal :28 in and end up losing in OT is a perfect example. <br /><br />It'll be interesting to see how the Kings react on Saturday: collapse or steal one in the Shark Tank?<br /></span>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-22852919426954742332011-04-12T20:33:00.000-07:002011-04-12T20:35:33.318-07:00Can we all get along?<embed src="http://cnettv.cnet.com/av/video/cbsnews/atlantis2/cbsnews_player_embed.swf" scale="noscale" salign="lt" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" background="#333333" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="si=254&uvpc=http://cnettv.cnet.com/av/video/cbsnews/atlantis2/uvp_cbsnews.xml&contentType=videoId&contentValue=50103158&ccEnabled=false&hdEnabled=false&fsEnabled=true&shareEnabled=false&dlEnabled=false&subEnabled=false&playlistDisplay=none&playlistType=none&playerWidth=425&playerHeight=239&vidWidth=425&vidHeight=239&autoplay=false&bbuttonDisplay=none&playOverlayText=PLAY%20CBS%20NEWS%20VIDEO&refreshMpuEnabled=true&shareUrl=http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7362549n&adEngine=dart&adPreroll=true&adPrerollType=PreContent&adPrerollValue=1" width="425" height="279"></embed>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-78032203932201943082011-04-12T19:50:00.000-07:002011-04-12T20:30:32.363-07:00Finally<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It will have taken over <a href="http://phish.net/setlists/?d=2003-02-14">8 1/2 years</a>, but </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://phish.com/">Phish</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> will finally deign to play a show in the second largest market in the country, the </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://esamultimedia.esa.int/images/EarthObservation/images_of_the_week/Los_Angeles_20041101_H.jpg">Los Angeles area </a><span style="font-family: arial;">(no, the </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/47/141448194_52fafe4d50_o.jpg">Coachella Valley</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> doesn't count) when they pull in to the </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://thecolormusiccompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Old-Hollywood-Bowl-hillside-seating.png">Hollywood Bowl</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> on August 8th for a one-niter. It's a great place to see a show and as a bonus, I can catch the Red Line and avoid the nightmare parking situation.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm tempted to go to the next two shows up in </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://dogoneblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/harveys_lake_tahoe.jpg?w=300&h=251">Lake Tahoe</a><span style="font-family: arial;">, but with the small capacity (7,200), it's going to be a tough ticket and I.....guess I'm getting old because I don't want to spend the money on a plane + hotel + transport to go to the shows, not to mention the hassles of traveling. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I'll settle for the </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.sfoutsidelands.com/">Outside Lands</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> festival up in </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://imgs.sfgate.com/graphics/travel/neighborhoods/splashpics/sf/goldengatepark.jpg">Golden Gate Park</a><span style="font-family: arial;">, with Phish headlining on Friday the 12th and the awesome </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://muse.mu/">MUSE</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> on Saturday the 13th. I'd love to see </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://decemberists.com/">The Decemberists</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> again, but knowing my luck (and lack of it), they'll probably play on Sunday, when I have to come home. Rumors persist that Phish will play a show on Saturday at the <a href="http://www.gurfinkel.com/regineconcert/billgraham.htm">Bill Graham Civic Auditorium</a>, but that would be a dilemma, conflicting with MUSE and all. I'm not even sure Outside Lands sell single-day tickets but it's a thought.</span><br /><br />Here's hopin' that Phish plays <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61mBX6QQ0RQ">The Curtain (With)</a> [sound starts if you click through] at at least one of the shows I go to!<br /></div>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-38282315993067898572011-04-07T19:29:00.000-07:002011-04-07T21:02:06.908-07:00Of our elaborate plans, the end<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">This is the end, beautiful friend</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">This is the end, my only friend, the end</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Of our elaborate plans</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The end</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Of everything that stands</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The end</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">No safety or surprise </span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The end</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I'll never look in to your eyes again</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Can you picture what will be?</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">So limitless and free</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Desperately in need of some strangers hand</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">In a desperate land.....</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />(<a href="http://www.thedoors.com/index2.php">via</a>)<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Some bad news on the operatic front from New York City: the <a href="http://www.nycopera.com/">New York City Opera</a> is <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704013604576249123210258378.html">canceling their fall season</a>. In my opinion, the very future of the company is in doubt. I've had some great nights at the <s>New York State Theater</s></span><span style="font-family: arial;"> David H. Koch Theater: </span><span style="font-family:arial;">their great production of <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.ronaldchaseart.com/opera/tote/tote.html">Die Tote Stadt</a>, a rare chance to experience <a href="http://www.tippettfoundation.org.uk/">Michael Tippett</a>'s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Midsummer_Marriage"><span style="font-style: italic;">A Midsummer Marriage</span></a>, a terrific <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.leosjanacek.co.uk/vixen.htm">Cunning Little Vixen</a>. Additionally, compared to the <a href="http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/">singer-centric mausoleum</a> across the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOHmSxHo2NVt-ymbg-WfcQn0y3UCsB2O_SSvZPLkmUdea2cS8RZoBh3QU4ZmNBTT5oqakWz15frqXbkkVB3xMLesiuhk69Js_5LOXUdtq9M55Zs-HmZhONa2qna2HBFBQC7nYiCuF7v64/s1600/799px-Lincoln_Center_Twilight.jpg">Lincoln Center plaza</a>, NYCO has made some really out-there repetory choices that are right up my alley, the incredible <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.boosey.com/pages/opera/moredetails.asp?musicid=5924">Don Rodrigo</a> and <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bomarzo_%28opera%29">Bomarzo </a>by <a href="http://ostinato.tripod.com/ginas.html">Ginastera</a> being the productions I wish I had a time machine for.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">NYCO has been in crisis mode for at least the last five years. The whole <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2008/11/gerard-mortier.html">Gerard Mortier</a> debacle is too depressing to go in to detail about, and the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/arts/music/15oper.html">George Steel era</a> hasn't been a bed of roses either, <a href="http://blog.nycopera.com/pr/nycopera/blog/photo/George_Steel_c_Ren_Perez-prv.jpg">handsome</a> as he is.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >From my perspective 3,000 miles away, the biggest, intractable problem that NYCO has/has had since 1964 is the fact that they play in a space not designed for opera, but for ballet. This apparently manifested itself in having a very flat sound coming off the stage so as not to amplify the dancers feet hitting the stage. There's no doubt that the <a href="http://www.nycballet.com/company/history.html">New York City Ballet</a>'s <a href="http://www.nycballet.com/company/history/balanchine.html">George Balanchine</a> had more clout than anyone at the NYCO, so it makes sense that the brilliant choreographer would get his way.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> The net result is that the theater is not really suited for opera, as Mr. Mortier made clear. The need to find a new space that is both acoustically appropriate (there was talk of building <a href="http://www.aeaconsulting.com/capital_nyco.htm">an opera house</a> at <a href="http://www.national911memorial.org/site/PageServer?pagename=New_Home">Ground Zero</a>, but that never got beyond the talking stage) and unencumbered by the need to accommodate NYCB's schedule is paramount. </span><br /></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-36177860674159658512011-04-07T07:51:00.000-07:002011-04-07T20:17:50.017-07:00Red Sux<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.jlh-design.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/simpsons_nelson_haha3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 373px;" src="http://www.jlh-design.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/simpsons_nelson_haha3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">No team that has <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/What-They-8217-re-Saying-Red-Sox-Nation-and-th?urn=mlb-wp2695">started 0-5</a> has ever won the World Series.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATE:</span> <a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_04_07_bosmlb_clemlb_1&mode=recap&c_id=cle">Make that 0-6</a>. Buwahahahahahaha. Next up: 3 games at <a href="http://www.delawareonline.com/blogs/uploaded_images/Yankee-Stadium-Baseba_Corm-723271.JPG">Yankee Stadium</a>. Go <a href="http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=nyy">Yankees</a>!<br /></span>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-91741323517261040362011-04-07T07:10:00.000-07:002011-04-07T07:26:55.766-07:00Go Kings Go!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.foxsports.com/content/fscom/img/2011/04/07/040611-NHL-kings-PI-AM_20110407012558127_660_320.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 660px; height: 320px;" src="http://static.foxsports.com/content/fscom/img/2011/04/07/040611-NHL-kings-PI-AM_20110407012558127_660_320.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">(</span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/Los-Angeles-Kings-clinch-playoffs-with-win-over-Phoenix-Coyotes-040611">from</a><span style="font-family: arial;">)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Congratulations to the <a href="http://kings.nhl.com/">Los Angeles Kings</a> for clinching a playoff spot for the second season in a row. Not a big deal, making the playoffs again? Considering how awful this team was for a long stretch of the 2000's, that a step in the right direction.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Now, it's true that my true NHL love is the <a href="http://canucks.nhl.com/">Vancouver Canucks</a>, they've been my favorite team since I saw them play at the <a href="http://philadelphia.about.com/library/gallery/lincoln39.JPG">Spectrum</a> in Philadelphia in the early 70's, but to be honest, they're in Vancouver and the Kings are here, it's easier to root for the Kings.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">There's still two big games left for the Kings against the <a href="http://ducks.nhl.com/index.html">Anaheim Ducks</a>, with playoff seeding at stake.</span>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-79232737784790257002011-04-06T18:27:00.001-07:002011-04-07T07:10:20.385-07:00Ugliness in Chavez RavineI'm not a fan of the <a href="http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=la">Los Angeles Dodgers</a>, to put it mildly, despite living 15 minutes from their <a href="http://www.visitingdc.com/images/dodger-stadium-address.jpg">great ballpark</a>. In the early 70's when I became a big baseball fan, I loved the <a href="http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=oak">Oakland Athletics</a> because they had <a href="http://c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000TLk5Py8i7EU/s/750/750/AS72CHAMP1A.jpg">long hair</a>, fought in the dugout, had loud psychedelic <a href="http://a888.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/50/l_3bfd93fbf32f23dc619f1ef310e2d5df.jpg">uniforms</a> and a "don't give a f**k attitude" that 12-year old me just ate up. Of course, this fandom made me look like a genius when they won three World Series in a row. At the other end of the spectrum were the Dodgers, all wholesome family values (before that became an tired buzzword), <a href="http://janeheller.mlblogs.com/steve-garvey.jpg">clean-cut ballplayers</a> and after 1976, the odious <a href="http://www.sportsbastards.com/media/4/20061007-whoops_lasorda.jpg">Tommy Lasorda</a>, asshole in private and avuncular "I bleed Dodger blue" in public.<br /><br />I've been to Dodger Stadium twice in the last five years and the reason is simple: it can be a really scary place to watch a baseball game. You'd get an affirmative about that from <a href="http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/06/giants-fan-bryan-stow-in-induced-coma-as-los-angeles-police-chas/">Bryan Stow</a>, a Giants fan who attended the Opening Day game in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Chavez_Ravine">Chavez Ravine</a>, except for the fact that he can't say anything to anyone since he's in a freakin' coma after getting savagely beaten by <a href="http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-police-sketches-giants-fan-attack,0,5968857.photo">two piece-of-shit Dodgers fans</a> in the parking lot after the game. His crime: wearing a Giants shirt.<br /><br />There's been <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgers/2011/04/four-days-later-where-is-the-dodgers-response-to-fan-being-mugged.html">much</a> <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgers/2011/04/searching-for-something-positive-to-come-from-giants-fan-beating-a-national-call-to-end-fan-violence.html">handwringing</a> <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0405-dodgers-violence-20110405,0,6859488,full.story">in the</a> <a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Dodger-Stadium-assault-a-disgraceful-act-for-baseball-fans-040311">local</a> media and on <a href="http://www.petrosandmoney.com/main.html">sports talk radio</a> since the incident, but to be blunt, this isn't a surprise at all. I was at a Freeway Series game in Anaheim during the late 90's and it was the first time that a significant amount of Dodgers fans had shown up at the <a href="http://v7.cache1.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/3469758.jpg?redirect_counter=1">Big A</a>, largely because it was a regular season game, not an exhibition like all Angels v. Dodgers tilts were before interleague play was introduced before the 1997 season. What do you know, there was a melee on the upper deck concourse involving about a dozen dudes in Dodgers shirts.<br /><br />Fast forward to about four or five years ago and my buddy Dan and I were in the upper deck at Dodgers Stadium for another Freeway Series game. We spent the whole game having the gangbanger behind us threatening to kick our ass because we were rooting for the Angels and at one point, after about eight beers, he threatened to throw us off that upper deck. We acted like Dodgers fans and left before the game ended, something we haven't done in Anaheim since the early 80's.<br /><br />Turns out that there's not much security in the Dodger Stadium parking lot after the game begins and even at the best of times, experts say that the security detail is understaffed. There's little doubt that people getting drunk at the games leads to problems so it's eye-rolling time to see that the team has scheduled several <a href="http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/la/fan_forum/throwback.jsp">1/2 Price Food & Drinks</a> days, which include 1/2 price beer, for six games this season.<br /><br />While I hope the Dodgers as a baseball team go 0-162 every season for the next zillion years, when it becomes dangerous to go to a game at Dodger Stadium, that's unacceptable.Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-26046233155352093022011-04-05T20:03:00.000-07:002011-04-05T23:05:08.126-07:00Opera and orchestra scheduling blues<div style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;">[<span style="font-weight: bold;">NOTE</span>: Items with an * are YouTube clips that have the sound start when you click the link]<br /><br />For at least the last ten years, starting in February I start scouring opera company and orchestras' websites for news about their upcoming seasons. Once I get the information, I enter whatever seems vaguely interesting in to an Excel spreadsheet. Around June, when the last stragglers have announced their seasons (for some reason, the <a href="http://www.staatstheater.stuttgart.de/oper/start.htm">Staatsoper Stuttgart</a> is always the last major company to announce their upcoming season), I see if there's enough interesting stuff in a 7-10 day period to justify the expense and hassle of a trip to Europe.<br /><br />The last two seasons of doing this has been really depressing. If it weren't for the <a href="http://www.deutscheoperberlin.de/?page=intro">Deutsche Oper Berlin</a> doing a <a href="http://www.deutscheoperberlin.de/?page=spielplandetail&id_event_date=6948032">string</a> <a href="http://www.deutscheoperberlin.de/?page=spielplandetail&id_event_cluster=519073">of</a> <a href="http://www.deutscheoperberlin.de/?page=spielplandetail&id_event_cluster=519236">rarities</a>, I don't think I would have gone to Europe in early March. Yes, the chance to tick another Schreker opera off my list of ones I've seen, <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=9826">Irrelohe</a>, was also a big factor, but the bastards at Oper Bonn canceled it a few days before I was supposed to hop on a train from Berlin to see it and replaced it with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Puccini-Turandot-Sutherland-Pavarotti-Ghiaurov/dp/B0000041Q3">Turandot</a>. It's clear that economic woes both in the United States and Europe have caused arts organizations to retreat to the safe and easy options, i.e. 8,000 <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Puccini-Pavarotti-Harwood-Ghiaurov-Karajan/dp/B0000041TD/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1302063068&sr=1-1">La Boheme</a>'s a season. Since I have zero interest in baroque or bel canto operas and for most orchestral music before Beethoven, it's tough out there for someone who's dying to experience another production of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ5srOEgJFQ"><span style="font-style: italic;">Lear</span></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">*</span> or <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOGZeuhCSEI&feature=related">Die Soldaten</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">*</span> or to finally see a production of <a href="http://www.ashgate.com/isbn/9780754653837"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Mask of Orpheus</span></a>, <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.musicweb-international.com/SandH/2004/May-Aug04/kong0911.htm">The Second Mrs. Kong</a> and <a href="http://www.universaledition.com/Franz-Schreker/composers-and-works/composer/659/work/1928">the</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Schreker-Flammen/dp/B00005RTFD">remaining</a> <a href="http://classical-iconoclast.blogspot.com/2010/11/irrelohe-flames-of-madness.html">five</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Franz-Schreker-Christophorus-Vision-einer/dp/B0007XHL2K/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1302064399&sr=1-3">Schreker</a> <a href="http://www.theoperacritic.com/reviewsa.php?schedid=chzschmie0110">operas</a> (I'm not counting the revision of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Franz-Schreker-Das-Spielwerk-Prinzessin/dp/B00009LW59"><span style="font-style: italic;">Das Spielwerk und die Prinzessin</span></a>) on my Schreker to-do list.<br /><br />Case in point: the aforementioned DO Berlin. They're usually good for at least three or four interesting pieces a year; my favorite recording of my favorite opera, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lur2zy_3Wb8">Die Tote Stadt</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">*</span>, is a pirate recording from the DOB with <a href="http://www.musicweb-international.com/SandH/2009/Jan-Jun09/gould_interview.htm">Stephen Gould</a> as an excellent Paul and <a href="http://mostlyopera.blogspot.com/2008/12/christian-thielemann.html">Christian Thielemann</a> conducting the hell out of <a href="http://www.korngold-society.org/">Korngold</a>'s glorious score. I got the 2011-12 DOB schedule on Monday and I almost fell off my chair at work at how bad it is.<br /><br />Of the seven new productions, five are of 19th cent<em></em>ury Italian operas (three by Verdi) and three of those will be in concert form. Janacek's <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Jancek-Jenufa-Benackov%C3%A1-Rysanek-Kazaras/dp/B0000016FL/ref=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1302064659&sr=1-4">Jenufa</a> and Wagner's <em></em><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Tannhauser-Vinay/dp/B000B9EY5M/ref=sr_1_9?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1302064765&sr=1-9">Tannhauser</a> round out the new productions. Wow, one whole opera written in the 20th century, the <em>Jenufa, </em>and barely at that (it was complete in 1902, first staged in 1904). A double-bill of Felix Weingartner's <span style="font-style: italic;">Die Dorfschule</span> (1920) and Carl Orff's <span style="font-style: italic;">Gisei</span>, which was completed in 1912 when Orff was 17 and only premiered in early 2010, is listed as "Weitere Höhepunkte" (other highlights), whatever that means, along with a concert production of <span style="font-style: italic;">Candide</span>. The real shock is that of the 21 revivals, SEVEN will be by Verdi, for a total of 10 Verdi pieces in a season of 30 operas. This is insane, full stop, it's not even the Verdi bicentennial, that's still two seasons away in 2013!<br /><br />I'm actually starting to dread the 2013-14 opera season, as it will be the season that the Verdi and Wagner bicentennial's will be celebrated. Since the Verdi operas I enjoy can be counted <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Verdi-Rigoletto-Sutherland-Pavarotti-Bonynge/dp/B0000041Q2/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1302065185&sr=1-1">on</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Verdi-Don-Carlo-Giuseppe/dp/B00004VVZP">three</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Verdi-Otello-Giuseppe/dp/B0000041PA/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1302065228&sr=1-2">fingers</a> and the Wagner operas that I still listen to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tristan-Isolde-Richard-Wagner/dp/B000001GXS/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1302065292&sr=1-1">on</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Parsifal-Jerusalem-Tomlinson-Barenboim/dp/B000000SFK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1302065331&sr=1-1">two</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Walk%C3%BCre-Act-Richard-Classical/dp/B000005GMW">1/3</a>, it's a depressing thought for someone whose tastes are far outside the mainstream to begin with to contemplate. Yes, 2013 is also the <a href="http://www.brittenpears.org/?page=index.html">Benjamin Britten </a>centenary, but I'm certain that people will do the overplayed <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Britten-Peter-Grimes-Pears/dp/B0012L0TFM/ref=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1302065752&sr=1-4"><span style="font-style: italic;">Peter Grimes </span></a>and the chamber opera <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Britten-Screw-Pears-Vyvyan-Cross/dp/B0000041WD/ref=sr_1_5?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1302065845&sr=1-5">The Turn of the Screw</a> and consider their duty done. I'm hoping against hope that the incredible Deborah Warner <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/6570.html">Death in Venice</a> that I saw at <a href="http://www.eno.org/home.php">ENO</a> gets revived and that <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Britten-Gloriana-Sarah-Walker/dp/B000I2IUM0/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1302066198&sr=1-2"><span style="font-style: italic;">Gloriana</span></a> is done somewhere.<br /><br />Oh well. At least Alan Gilbert and the <a href="http://nyphil.org/">New York Philharmonic</a> will <a href="http://nyphil.org/attend/season/index.cfm?page=eventDetail&eventNum=2393&seasonNum=11">be doing</a> the incredible <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://wn.com/Gruppen_%28Stockhausen%29">Gruppen</a> and the fab <a href="http://wn.com/Boulez_Rituel"><span style="font-style: italic;">Rituel in Memoriam Bruno Maderna</span></a> at the awesome <a href="http://www.armoryonpark.org/index.php/photo_gallery/slideshow/wade_thompson_drill_hall/">Park Avenue Armory</a> in June of 2012, though what on earth he wa$ thinking by $cheduling the Mozart in that cavernou$ $pace is a my$tery. In addition to that must-attend event, I'll finally get a chance to go to a production of <a href="http://www.chesternovello.com/Default.aspx?TabId=2431&State_2905=2&composerId_2905=1350">Saariaho</a>'s incredible <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Saariaho-Esa-Pekka-Salonen-National-Helsinki/dp/B0009K1ZI2">L'amour de Loin</a>, at the <a href="http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1112Season/LoveFromAfar.aspx">Canadian Opera Company</a> in <a href="http://www.nopatternrequired.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/mlg.jpg">Toronto</a>. <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/sports/photos/2008/12/21/rowing-eight-cp-080817-584.jpg">Mmmmm</a>......<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhortOKuTs2EiVW_qrOxx8F_fQ-moONPGVwKuWVlIYj1jaLqZ5XyM7PzSsT1gmEBkDlDLCV-n5YZbCMNIjXSK9QyWJkAlM_GhMVVf-syg3lFyx7S0S8nGxLRihAbYqyG5Qodg1NwdcH56E/s400/canada-hockey-gold-medal-olympics.jpg">Canadian</a> <a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/5055542127_006e3c1214.jpg">guys</a>........<a href="http://www.weblo.com/communities/images/original/Kids_in_the_Hall_49fe0db7bdecd.jpg">mmmmmm</a>.<br /></div>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-12747348888095624502011-04-03T12:44:00.000-07:002011-04-03T17:11:34.435-07:00"Everyone knows rock attained perfection in 1974, it's a scientific fact" - Homer Jay Simpson<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezG-TvH2skpuYuxgscDakrqtNvLDiL_-DGLScNiSJVvyPiR3tuVjpdoVHoXIPwlSOaLcdXzCXOIl02u9Z9yJZ57Poo9O-OYdTT5v-Yrq4YK6Us0YBSTN00KuJmPJRlAeHCdskq4OPiVA/s1600/13.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 252px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezG-TvH2skpuYuxgscDakrqtNvLDiL_-DGLScNiSJVvyPiR3tuVjpdoVHoXIPwlSOaLcdXzCXOIl02u9Z9yJZ57Poo9O-OYdTT5v-Yrq4YK6Us0YBSTN00KuJmPJRlAeHCdskq4OPiVA/s400/13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591445637586317890" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">[<span style="font-weight: bold;">NOTE:</span> Some of the links are to clips with sound that starts when you click on the link, you have been warned]</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;">While I can't completely agree with Homer Jay --<a href="http://www.sexpistolsofficial.com/">there's</a> <a href="http://www.theclashonline.com/">simply</a> <a href="http://www.xtheband.com/news.html">too</a> <a href="http://www.alternativetentacles.com/bandinfo.php?band=deadkennedys">many</a> <a href="http://www.talking-heads.nl/">bands</a> <a href="http://remhq.com/index.php">that</a> <a href="http://rastirling.tripod.com/husker.html">I</a> <a href="http://www.bunnymen.com/Test/">love</a> <a href="http://www.thecure.com/default.aspx">that</a> <a href="http://joydivision.homestead.com/">came</a> <a href="http://phish.com/">after</a> <a href="http://radiohead.com/deadairspace/">that</a> <a href="http://www.umphreys.com/main.php">time</a> <a href="http://www.porcupinetree.com/">frame</a>-- I've long believed that 1971-1973 was one of the peak years of rock. While searching for pictures of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavishnu_Orchestra">Mahavishnu Orchestra</a>, I came across the handbill above (from <a href="http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/king-crimson/poster-art/handbill/WIN720317.html">here</a>). I think it's a fascinating snapshot of what it must have been like to be a music fan and have all those choices (I was 12, living on the Air Force base in New Jersey that my Dad was stationed at and still a few years away from regular concert-going).<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.emersonlakepalmer.com/">ELP</a>/Mahavishnu Orchestra bill is what first caught my eye. Apart from the absurdity of having a weak edition of Blues Project on the bill, this fits in to a comment made by <a href="http://www.yesworld.com/">Yes</a> bassist <a href="http://www.yesworld.com/">Chris Squire</a> that I read years ago (and can't find now): Punk didn't kill prog rock, the Mahavishnu Orchestra did. His point was that when the MO first started regular gigging in 1971, they blew away a lot of musicians. He said that Yes began to think they had to play 8,000 notes a bar to keep up with the groundbreaking music the MO was playing. ELP certainly weren't immune to that mindset and they had the chops to pull it off.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.dgmlive.com/">King Crimson</a> listing is bittersweet, as their <a href="http://www.bluesbrotherscentral.com/images/venues/winterland.jpg">Winterland</a> gigs were some of the last dates that the Fripp/Collins/Boz (RIP)/Wallace (RIP) band did before it imploded in a welter of bad vibes and non-communication. For years, this band was much maligned among prog geeks because the only aural evidence of its existence was the very poor <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthbound_%28King_Crimson_album%29">Earthbound</a> live album. Thanks to DGM Live, however, there's been a steady stream of evidence that this was a fine band, a worthy addition to the bewildering number of KC lineups.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.thehighwaystar.com/">Deep Purple</a> must have been something to see/hear back then, the classic Gillan/Blackmore/Lord/Glover/Paice lineup still intact and reputedly <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudest_band_in_the_world">the loudest band</a> in the world at one time. They were touring to promote the recently released <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_Head_%28album%29">Machine Head</a><span style="font-style: italic;">,</span> I wonder if <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeFhfbsq43U">Space Truckin'</a> lasted 20 minutes yet?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.don-mclean.com/">Don McLean</a> was still riding high off of the success of the "get off my lawn you damn hippie kids" vibe of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0Y_XRiJsCI&feature=related"><span style="font-style: italic;">American Pie</span></a> and his glorious ode to <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiX9Tzdazl_paJVw7euX_asOwEYZixpLvBewgLBxoXjKs2KqLnm1snzhx53vf0zH05ux3riR9WpbKMtwiFh8-zLza2E7KICHh4-zc7_I_w7ZIqVu1f2XDqZ34Lm2F5bTlv4zZb7PkoTUQ/s1600/Vincent+van+Gogh-Wheat+Field+with+Crows-1890.jpg">Vincent Van Gogh</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wrNFDxCRzU"><span style="font-style: italic;">Vincent</span></a>, to see him in the interesting looking <a href="http://www.atos.org/Pages/Journal/Berkeley/exterior.jpg">Berkely Community Theater</a> must have been wonderful.<br /><br />The Humble Pie/Edgar Winter Group/Osibisa bill is especially strong. I love <a href="http://www.humble-pie.net/">The Pie</a> and their lead singer/guitarist/leader Steve Marriott, who left the fab <a href="http://www.thesmallfaces.com/">Small Faces</a> to form Humble Pie with Peter Frampton (yes, <a href="http://image.betamonline.com/sdimages/disk18/348917.jpg">the same</a>). The Pie were on their never-ending tour, in this case promoting the recently released <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smokin%27_%28Humble_Pie_album%29">Smokin'</a>, while The Edgar Winter Group had just gotten started with their classic lineup of Winter/Montrose/Hartman (RIP)/Ruff, the awesome <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pnSSHwmu8I"><span style="font-style: italic;">Frankenstein</span></a> still in their future. I like what I've heard of <a href="http://www.osibisa.co.uk/">Osibisa</a> and hey, <a href="http://www.rogerdean.com/">Roger Dean</a> did some of their <a href="http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/deano-1.jpg">album</a> <a href="http://elbeasto.com/shop/images/osibisa_-_osibisa.jpg">covers</a>, they can't be <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsc8xQqtxfYyYgEJckXF5wFTlBKj32wRccB7yDjQQ3FXsXwq-J6689yUtvD1EImnMEkFKC49Xk4LzYUjivWFdWui-xnjcprbD13Xo_Au2FsWOH4CgnIlDDFIO_ZlU2PnbBNHARHN-TCW5A/s400/asiaastra.jpg">that bad</a>, right?<br /><br /><a href="http://img.listal.com/image/433153/600full-joe-cocker.jpg">Joe Cocker</a> had accrued enough of an audience to play the <a href="http://www.seemyseats.com/images/stadiums/NBA/oakland-out.jpg">Oakland Coliseum arena</a>, but in retrospect, the buzz from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQYDvQ1HH-E&feature=related">Woodstock</a>/<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Dogs_and_Englishmen_%28album%29"><span style="font-style: italic;">Mad Dogs & Englishmen</span></a> had started to run out, alcoholism and syrupy Top 40 stuff not far off. Then we have <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzJxEMq433E&feature=related">West, Bruce & Laing</a>, featuring my first musical hero (and reason I became a bass player), <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OLK_HSyy1U">Jack Bruce</a>. They were one of the numerous "supergroups" that dotted the landscape in the late 60's/early 70's after <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUW1SGF7bR8">Blind Faith</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHtOQz5bINY">Crosby, Stills & Nash</a> (&<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jxs0ybnsEQ">Young</a>) lead the way (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBpSeyk1z4o">Beck, Bogert and Appice</a> anyone?).<br /><br />Sure, it's easy to get all nostalgic for this period in concert going, but I bet if I was 20 back then and showed this to some <a href="http://i2.ytimg.com/vi/4K5psRk5Sno/0.jpg">older hippie</a>, he'd say "You kids today with your loud heavy metal so-called music! Back in MY day we had <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdoKb7oksZE">Hendrix</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BGlFsf9DM8&feature=related">Cream</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjD4eWEUgMM">Janis</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYmIu_njso4">the Dead</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ljxpyH4dnA">the Airplane</a> playing here all the time, now THAT was music!".<br /></div>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-78129918563899330982011-03-31T20:53:00.000-07:002011-04-03T20:27:18.230-07:00Life begins anew, 2011 edition<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Inspired by the awesome <a href="http://irontongue.blogspot.com/">Lisa Hirsch</a> to start blogging again, I thought that re-starting this here blog up on the first day of the baseball season would be appropriate.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Much has happened since I last posted here: </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* <a href="http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page">LOST</a>, after four seasons of being totally awesome, turned out to confirm the haters view that the two idiot hacks running things, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, really didn't know what the hell they were doing. They swore for years that the show had nothing to do with time travel or purgatory, so of course season five was all about time travel and season six was about purgatory. Worst of all, Lindelof's favorite character and the focus of season six, Jack, turned out to be a) the least interesting character on the show who was b) acted by the worst actor on the show. Season six was an insult to all of us obsessives and this <a href="http://fishbiscuitlandblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/last-word-on-lost-heaven-heaven-is.html">brutal smackdown by Fishbisquit</a> had me nodding in agreement so much that I almost got neck strain. May Lindelof and Cuse not be allowed near even a cable access show ever again.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* The glow from the <a href="http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=ana">Angels</a> <a href="http://reds.enquirer.com/2002/10/28/ws_zoom.jpg">2002 World Series win</a> is definitely over, the prime example being a horrible 2008 postseason wherein they had the best record in baseball but ended up with them being swept in the first round by those pieces of human excrement <a href="http://www.appsychology.com/Book/Developmental/Devpics/CogPics/RedSoxFan.jpg">the Red Sox</a>. With Garrett Anderson and Scot Shields now gone, there are no players remaining from the 2002 team. <a href="http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/images/photos/001/023/057/97206095_crop_340x234.jpg?1283881430">Mark Trumbo</a> sure is hot, though, I hope he can hit major league pitching. A 4-2 win today over the Royals is a nice start to the 2011 season.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* I've really gotten in to hockey again, the <a href="http://kings.nhl.com/">Kings</a> totally not sucking for the last two years being a big factor. I still love the <a href="http://canucks.nhl.com/">Canucks</a>, who tonight clinched the best regular season record with an efficient 3-1 win over the Kings, but they're in <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69quHzrlKYILshOOWF3iAMmNAnNTjA2yGjVA0yVrG8XnHfqgL7e24OE8q75Q3xw03PUz0dMjpUWzCwsYKn7O5eFoQp-sHtL8M-d387IOIOEgNMhYB_gJerX_cWRV7ZQvneRAfYpN1GXQ/s1600/Stanley+Park.jpg">Vancouver</a>, I'm in <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Macarthur_Park.jpg">Los Angeles</a>, the Kings play 10 minutes from here. Yes, I'm cheating on my favorite hockey team since 1972 with the local floozie, I think I'll have to drink myself silly this weekend to deal with it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* In a scenario I never thought would happen, I only had to travel 15 minutes down 6th Street to see a production of a <a href="http://www.schreker.org/neu/index.html">Franz Schreker</a> opera. The <a href="http://www.losangelesopera.com/">Los Angeles Opera</a> mounted a wonderful production of the incredible <a href="http://images.goldstar.com/gse_subscriber_media/000/139/336/Goldstar_Stigmatized_Photo_B.jpg?w=500&h=500"><span style="font-style: italic;">Die Gezeichneten</span></a>, despite apparently having a budget of about $2.87 to do so. Sadly, a trip to Germany and Austria in February of this year was marred by the cancellation by <a href="http://www.theater-bonn.de/home.asp">Oper Bonn</a> four days before the performance of the reason I went, <a href="http://www.kulturfreak.de/Oper/Opern_I/Irrelohe_OperBonn_1157cThiloBeu.jpg">Schreker's </a><span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.kulturfreak.de/Oper/Opern_I/Irrelohe_OperBonn_1157cThiloBeu.jpg">Irrelohe</a>.</span> I still almost break in to tears thinking about it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The ineptness of the management of the LAO continues to rankle, as they gambled the house money on <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdE8vljNvQhX1i7ehHwMLznSsPd27ADz_VtVsP2Xmk4-NetjiNq4x9oKdNvHfb-0WWnmxIq60_mkI62xlN_-b1ERyoIBklGMIc3xSDE4EJJ-_yvhK6e0SGvIHvp2OHzkM81JNEn8aVrM/s1600/la+ring1.jpg">a Ring cycle</a> that no one was really clamoring for (except maybe board members who thought it would bring some prestige), cost a fortune, was a nightmare to stage and didn't draw anywhere near the audiences it needed to break even. They then start a <a href="http://www.brittenpears.org/">Benjamin Britten</a> cycle in anticipation of the great English opera composer's centenary in 2013 but they insist on doing two of his chamber operas, <a href="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2011-03-21-turnofthescrew2.jpg"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Turn of the Screw</span></a> and <a href="http://images.alibi.com/image/pix_id/24839/Joshua-Hopkins-Sid-Kate-Lindsey-Nancy-and-Ale.jpg?image_height=365&image_width=511"><span style="font-style: italic;">Albert Herring</span></a>, in the airport hanger that is the <a href="http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/images/stories/large/2010/02/15/Feb+14+Dexuan+crowd+sold+out.JPG">Dorothy Chandler Pavilion</a>. No way will they have the guts to do <a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3114/3116316450_c7583bae4d.jpg"><span style="font-style: italic;">Gloriana</span></a> or <a href="http://commandopera.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/death_in_venice-La-scala.jpg"><span style="font-style: italic;">Death in Venice</span></a>. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* TV has been phenomenal for me in the last three years, with <a href="http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Amazing Race</span></a>; <span style="font-style: italic;">Being Human </span>(both the awesome <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/beinghuman/">UK</a> and the excellent new <a href="http://www.syfy.com/beinghuman">US</a> version); a great <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw">new Doctor</a> replacing the really tired emo schtick of David Tennant; <a href="http://www.fox.com/glee/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Glee</span></a> and its fascinating gay storyline; <a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/v"><span style="font-style: italic;">V</span></a>, a remake of an 80's sci-fi show that has gotten better as its gone along; the intriguing <a href="http://www.nbc.com/the-event/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Event</span></a> and the wildly uneven but it-coulda-been-a-contender LOST clone <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FlashForward"><span style="font-style: italic;">FlashForward</span></a> providing much moron machine entertainment. I still avoid most cop, doctor and murder porn shows like the Ebola virus and for some reason I've never been interested in faves like <span style="font-style: italic;">MadMen</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Breaking Bad</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">Big Love</span>, so I don't end up watching much TV. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* The <a href="http://www.photos8.com/walls/nasa_orion_nebula-other.jpg">Orion Nebula</a>, <a href="http://www.elrst.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/tarantula-nebula.jpg">Tarantula Nebula</a>, the <a href="http://angiels.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/pleiades.jpg">Seven Sisters</a>, the <a href="http://walkers.org/4images/data/media/1/603px-Crab_Nebula.jpg">Crab Nebula</a>, <a href="http://oliviab17.edublogs.org/files/2010/05/eta-carinae-2.jpg">Eta Carinae</a> and so many other wonderful cosmic sights continue to amaze and delight this astronomy geek. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* The less said about politics, the better. I've made a pact with myself that I'll avoid that topic here, it only leads to tears.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I hope to be a regular blogger, I just have to have the mindset that short posts often v. epics every 3 years is the way to go.</span><br /></div>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-55093829699822659112008-04-04T17:01:00.000-07:002008-12-10T16:55:56.958-08:00Friday Benjamin Linus blogging<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9I6QJHe0RIDKzADlhV8NUS8dPIf8KODP48T57vJZYf1weXE2Hz-I27kSkF_669fk_XFfTDKhCZPP_ZOlz_dyIrww84BHp18g1b2_h1B59Cj94-mFRodzUkkXxEnYbEtzPC3Yaf-ICF14/s1600-h/Ben+Go%21.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9I6QJHe0RIDKzADlhV8NUS8dPIf8KODP48T57vJZYf1weXE2Hz-I27kSkF_669fk_XFfTDKhCZPP_ZOlz_dyIrww84BHp18g1b2_h1B59Cj94-mFRodzUkkXxEnYbEtzPC3Yaf-ICF14/s320/Ben+Go%21.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185547077883475074" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Ooooohhhh, I loves me some in control of the situation Ben, as he is here from <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.lostpedia.com/wiki/Meet_Kevin_Johnson">Meet Kevin Johnson</a>. I guess that's one way to get your <a href="http://www.lostpedia.com/wiki/Karl">daughter's boyfriend</a> out of the way......<br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Screencap via <a href="http://michaelemerson.net/coppermine/">Michael Emerson.net</a> (thanks Edith!)</span></span>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-53038391048533211852008-04-01T09:40:00.000-07:002008-12-10T16:55:56.968-08:00Life begins anew: baseball edition<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">I love this time of year in the American sports calendar. The death marches that are the <a href="http://www.nba.com/">NBA</a> and <a href="http://www.nhl.com/">NHL</a> seasons are winding down in preparation for the playoffs (go <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver_Canucks">Canucks</a>!), college basketball is all <a href="http://www.basketballcoach.com/images/williams_main.jpg">Elite 8 > Final 4 > Final</a>, the <a href="http://www.masters.org/en_US/index.html">golf majors</a> are about to get underway and best of all, <a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/index.jsp">baseball</a> gets going.<br /><br />I've been a baseball fan since around the age of seven; I was living in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Bay_Area">Bay Area</a> at the time and <a href="http://myhero.com/images/sports/mays/mays4.jpg">Willie Mays</a> ruled. Being <a href="http://www.travis.af.mil/">an Air Force brat</a>, I didn't form a strong attachment for a team due to moving so often, but after seeing <a href="http://images.halosheaven.com/images/admin/nolan30ryan.jpg">Nolan Ryan</a> pitch from the fifth row at Yankee Stadium, I was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Angels_of_Anaheim#The_1960s:_early_AL_years">California Angels</a> fan. I had harbored hopes of being a major league pitcher, but alas, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldhaveyoursay/obese_child203.jpg">genetics conspired against me</a>. As a 13-year old, I didn't really know all that much about the history of the Angels and if I had, I might have not set myself up for so much future heartache. Still, the Angels were "my team" and when my Dad retired from the Air Force and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Hollywood,_California">we moved to Los Angeles</a>, I finally had a chance to see them in person, at the <a href="http://www.oac.cdlib.org/affiliates/images/cana/kt2199p9w7/hi-res/P16617.jpg">old Big A</a>. <span style="font-weight: bold;">NOTE:</span> Yes, yes, I know they're officially called The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, but that's totally effing lame, so I call them the California or Anaheim Angels.<br /><br />Ah, the <a href="http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1979&t=CAL">pennant race of 1979</a>. I'll never forget the atmosphere and sheer excitement of seeing my hero, <a href="http://imagesource.art.com/images/-/Nolan-Ryan---383rd-Strike-Out---Photofile-Photograph-C10107007.jpeg">Nolan Ryan</a>, <a href="http://www.baseball-almanac.com/box-scores/boxscore.php?boxid=197909240CAL">win a crucial game</a> in the pennant race. My friends and I had smoked a ton of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashish">hash</a> and drank a case of beer before the game and we were fired up, to say the least.<br /><br />Fast forward a few weeks, and the Angels are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Angels_of_Anaheim#1979:_Angels_finally_reach_the_playoffs">in the playoffs</a> for the first time in their history, against the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_Orioles">Orioles</a>, who didn't suck goat balls back then. My pal Rod and I had tickets to Game 4. <a href="http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/american/anahei.htm">The Big A</a> was a construction site, <a href="http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_n13_v219/ai_16708824">the disastrous move of the Rams imminent</a>, the transformation of the Big A in to a <a href="http://www.stadiumsofnfl.com/past/anaheim110.jpg">giant, cavernous, soulless</a> <a href="http://www.stadiumsofnfl.com/past/anafoot700.jpg">multi-purpose stadium</a> underway. This was <a href="http://angelswinblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/12-oct-5-1979-yes-we-can-one-more-time.html">the year of the "Yes We Can!" chant</a> and the fans were raucous, despite the Orioles 3-0 lead. The Angels loaded the bases, had a then-lust object, <a href="http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/ana/images/community/anderson.jpg">Jimmy Anderson</a> at the plate --I had a weakness for geeky shortstops who could <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/a/anderji01.shtml">barely hit their weight</a>-- and when he hit a rocket down the third-base line, the place erupted....until <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoUbJAZ2MdipcJNBgCQyM8nBE20GEmimX_GsKR1KorV_txJjP6g48UgMsE74cFhT6u4kMI2zUkrJV5S5a5hXNBi-MZKTcvyqr7XiSjiYh1MSkg5FIDJz_xmTrCkdPD-O2fRY5slt5UwAY/s1600-h/decinces.jpg">Doug DeCinces</a> made a great diving stab, stepped on third and threw to first to complete the double play. I've never seen a crowd go from pandemonium to stunned silence quicker. My friends know better than to mention the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Angels_of_Anaheim#1982:_One_game_away">1982</a>, <a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2002/columns/kreidler_mark/1446430.html">1986</a> and <a href="http://i.a.cnn.net/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0609/gallery.mlb.collapse/images/1995angels_langston2.jpg">1995</a> seasons around me.<br /><br />So, here we are in 2008, the Angels the favorites to win the American League West. If last night's season opener against the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Twins">Minnesota Twins</a> --mmmm, <a href="http://media.canada.com/idl/ntnp/20061122/190293-71509.jpg">Justin Morneau</a>, mmmmm-- in the <a href="http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/american/minbpk.htm">soon-to-be-gone</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HHH_Metrodome">HomerDome</a> is any indication, it's going to be another season of "great pitching, weak offense". *sigh* It's a long season and one thing I've learned in my 41 years of being a baseball fan is to not get too excited when things are going well and not get down when times are tough. If the talent is there --and the Angels have it-- they'll find a way to win.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Update (4/1/08):</span> a perfect example of why it's best not to hit the panic button too quickly when it comes to baseball (in my case, the Angels' hitting): the Angels won 9-1 tonight.<br /></span></div>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-17000037488270567152008-03-28T11:21:00.001-07:002008-12-10T16:55:57.186-08:00Friday Benjamin Linus blogging<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRTHFEiBnp8K-8Ev9gNglYoiCC5jFetcCN0yylripXtl_6UEsfhfWQwQLVA7-6E7MPWQlqISWh8K-35liElGHMWZRCvuinoiP9Fx7bbriKSLCrcVuTm8ofUcz1-3KzYHnDMdfIt2lXN74/s1600-h/Ben+One+of+Us.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRTHFEiBnp8K-8Ev9gNglYoiCC5jFetcCN0yylripXtl_6UEsfhfWQwQLVA7-6E7MPWQlqISWh8K-35liElGHMWZRCvuinoiP9Fx7bbriKSLCrcVuTm8ofUcz1-3KzYHnDMdfIt2lXN74/s320/Ben+One+of+Us.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182859545047676018" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">This week's picture is from the searing kitchen scene in <a href="http://www.lostpedia.com/wiki/One_of_Us"><span style="font-style: italic;">One of Us</span></a>, where Ben and <a href="http://www.lostpedia.com/wiki/Juliet">Juliet</a> verbally spar about her leaving <a href="http://www.lostpedia.com/wiki/The_Island">The Island</a>. Love Ben's glasses!</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Screencap via <a href="http://michaelemerson.net/coppermine/">Michael Emerson.net</a> (thanks Edith!)</span>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-26964849097959408182008-03-26T18:23:00.000-07:002008-12-10T16:55:57.745-08:00Joyeux anniversaire, Pierre Boulez<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVgEiWPunnKNw7qewh-R0MHKSMBjZ6WrnYnuZq_uRwMlcv6EfhDjzZx8g_ocpXs1VIdYY_v-i4l5gcqsa3a_jSVoLJYkn67KDgmpveSFCQOxVzI0KsU2huMRajIWPMu6Kq3JOTwhBdBE/s1600-h/Boulez.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVgEiWPunnKNw7qewh-R0MHKSMBjZ6WrnYnuZq_uRwMlcv6EfhDjzZx8g_ocpXs1VIdYY_v-i4l5gcqsa3a_jSVoLJYkn67KDgmpveSFCQOxVzI0KsU2huMRajIWPMu6Kq3JOTwhBdBE/s320/Boulez.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182228086070916178" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(awesome scan courtesy of <a href="http://skittlesmaze.blogspot.com/">Tears of a Clownsilly</a>)</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Today, March 26th, marks the birthday of one of my true musical heroes, <a href="http://www.andante.com/profiles/boulez/BoulezGrove.cfm#bio">Pierre Boulez</a>, still active at the age of 83 (hat tip to the redoubtable <a href="http://www.overgrownpath.com/2008/03/beatle-to-berio-to-boulez-to-birthday.html">Pliable</a> for the reminder). Boulez is easily one of the most polarizing figures in 20th century (and beyond) classical music: blamed by some for everything from <a href="http://www.artsjournal.com/artswatch/aw-deathofclassical.htm">the death of classical music</a> as an art form to the reason that musicians working in the classical field don't make the cover of national newsweeklies anymore to <a href="http://www.mindofclay.com/resources/images/gallery/ANTICHRI.jpg">being the Anti-Christ</a>, beloved by others (i.e. me) for his <a href="http://artsblog.freedomblogging.com/2008/03/07/boulez-on-preparing-an-orchestra-and-emotional-distance/">fierce musical intellect</a>, <a href="http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=2723">challenging-but-often-sensuous music</a>, <a href="http://www.edwebproject.org/boulez.html">radical musical polemics</a> and being a conductor who can untangle the knottiest of contemporary scores and have you thinking <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Birtwistle-Theseus-Game-Earth-Dances/dp/B0002ANQWW">"Well, of course that's how it should be done!"</a>. His conducting of his chosen core repertory --</span><span style="font-family:arial;">Berg, Debussy, Mahler, <span style="font-family: arial;">Ravel, </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Schönberg</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">, Strav</span>insky, Webern and Varese, say— is well nigh definitive in some cases and always probing and interesting. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Two of my greatest experiences in a concert hall involved the conducting of Pierre Boulez. The first was a routine subscription program with the <a href="http://www.laphil.com/">Los Angeles Philharmonic</a> that ended with a performance of Debussy's glorious <a href="http://www.oldandsold.com/articles06/sy46.shtml"><span style="font-style: italic;">La Mer</span></a> that had the hairs on the back of my neck at full attention. The other was Maestro Boulez conducting a concert of his own pieces, <a href="http://www.andante.com/article/article.cfm?id=25461">the four orchestrated Notations</a> (there's since been a fifth added to the piece) ending the concert in such a manner that I was <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3Sewv2S5lA">in a daze for days</a> (<span style="font-weight: bold;">NOTE:</span> sound starts upon clicking link). </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Now, while I'm an unabashed fanboy, I'm not a unconditional one. As much as I adore </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Le marteau sans maître, </i><i style="font-family: arial;">Le visage nuptial</i><span style="font-family:arial;">, <span style="font-style: italic;">Rituel: In Memoriam Bruno Maderna, Sur Incises</span> and what I believe is his masterpiece, <span style="font-style: italic;">Repons</span>, I find most of the other music either too rigidly serialist or it features instruments I'm not a fan of (see: clarinet, for example). As a conductor, his readings of the standard 19th century repertoire can be a bit cold and overly-manicured for my tastes and the less said about his conducting on the <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wagner-Parsifal-Richard/dp/B000009JNI">Bayreuth <span style="font-style: italic;">Parsifal </span>recording</a>, the better.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I just wish Mr. Boulez had composed more original music instead of constantly revisiting and revising existing pieces; there was long talk of an opera but, alas. I also wish he would have spent the time he used to make make multiple recordings of <a href="http://www.classical.net/music/recs/reviews/d/dgg59647a.html">early 20th century pieces</a> to conduct more outside his normal <span style="font-style: italic;">fach</span>. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Finally, I'm proud that I can count Pierre Boulez amongst the <a href="http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3491/is_200611/ai_n18862571">long list of gay men</a> who have contributed so much to world culture. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> </span></div>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-63862116839926225022008-03-24T15:19:00.000-07:002008-03-26T17:20:27.398-07:00School is hell<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Growing up, I grew to hate --yes, that's the correct word-- the social aspects of being in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degrassi_Junior_High">junior high</a> (i.e. middle school) and <a href="http://www.polyhigh.org/">high school</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathers">The cliques</a>, the weird rules that we were supposed to abide by to get along but which changed without notice etc. As I knew I was homosexual, "different", around the age of six, I was always on guard about people finding that out because I knew other boys were <a href="http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid52229.asp">bullied for being effeminate</a>. It helped that <a href="http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=92791&rendTypeId=4">I loved sports</a> from an early age, that provided an easy smokescreen.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So, when I read stories like <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/24/us/24land.html?_r=1&sq=gay&st=nyt&adxnnl=1&scp=3&pagewanted=1&adxnnlx=1206397019-tSTPkbOzPCOHCTvUxPHO6w">this one from the New York Times</a> (via <a href="http://www.towleroad.com/">Towleroad</a>), I want to hit things. This poor lad --straight, it seems-- has become <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/03/24/us/20080324LAND_SLIDESHOW_4.html">the object of bullying</a> in his school and there doesn't seem any way out of it, short of his parents moving 2,000 miles away. What's especially galling is the attitude of school administrators and their subtle "blame the victim" mentality: their job is to ensure a safe space for all students, full stop, even if the object of the bullying is difficult or has learning challenges. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">When I was in 8th grade, my family moved --again-- in the middle of the school year, due to my dad being transferred to <a href="http://www.letsgoseeit.com/index/county/sbrn/victorville/loc01/george.htm">a new Air Force base</a>. I dreaded these moments: being paraded in front of the class as "the new boy", having to start all over socially, getting the feeling that it was pointless to develop strong friendships because one would just leave in a few years anyway. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">As is typical in bullying cases, my mere existence seemed to infuriate one kid in particular. We had an art class together and he would punch me when the teacher wasn't looking, trip me if I walked too close to his working area etc. I was painfully shy, had <a href="http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb208/EdwardCopeland/genius/kent.jpg">glasses</a> and <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38104000/jpg/_38104313_tomcruise150.jpg">braces</a>, just hated being around other people other than to play sports. One day, this kid threw a piece of clay at me. It hit my glasses, driving the metal bridge in to the bridge of my nose. I snapped: I went over to him, pushed him against the wall (I was taller than he was, fortunately) and <a href="http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/PHO/AAEG012%7ERalph-Branca-Bobby-Thomson-Choking-Posters.jpg">started to choke him</a>. Seriously choke him, as in: cause him to die by asphyxiation choke him. I'll never forget as long as I live the look of utter panic in his eyes as I squeezed his throat harder. I was pulled off of him by some other classmates and I caused a near heart-attack in the lovely lady who taught us; I have no doubt that if I hadn't been stopped, I would have killed him. Guess what?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I was never bullied again at that school.<br /><br />Is that what it's going to take for the bullying of Billy Wolfe to stop, for him to snap like I did and, given this is 2008 and not 1975, put a bullet in the head of a tormentor?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Update (3/26/08):</span> Here's a video of Billy Wolfe and his mom's appearance on the Today Show.<br /><iframe height="339" width="425" src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/23807038#23807038" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-89616666152251086262008-03-23T12:17:00.000-07:002008-12-10T16:55:58.032-08:00Friday Sunday Benjamin Linus blogging<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvLrNiyPsKD4-TDr4o0mMOkEnnE8ikyk-JvTEr8vXSfChfzfKohmjKXyPpJVeBnRyv79oVm3xhNfTD0mSahbsbB_1VrJfXzq0l_sNOOaEnPaiS38k6Ju0PcIr-JLnTBRXbWAP1hEhAs0/s1600-h/Ben+The+Other+Woman.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvLrNiyPsKD4-TDr4o0mMOkEnnE8ikyk-JvTEr8vXSfChfzfKohmjKXyPpJVeBnRyv79oVm3xhNfTD0mSahbsbB_1VrJfXzq0l_sNOOaEnPaiS38k6Ju0PcIr-JLnTBRXbWAP1hEhAs0/s320/Ben+The+Other+Woman.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181024563220132898" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">A bit late this week --NCAA basketball has eaten up all my spare time-- but I love this shot of Ben/Michael from <a href="http://lostpedia.com/wiki/The_Other_Woman"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Other Woman</span></a>, it highlights those sharp features that I love so much. Mmmmm....chest hair.....mmmmmm.<br /><br />Damn, a month's hiatus for LOST now.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Screencap via <a href="http://michaelemerson.net/coppermine/">Michael Emerson.net</a> (thanks Edith!)</span>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761366590748458891.post-80366683772183543802008-03-14T20:42:00.000-07:002008-12-10T16:55:58.194-08:00Friday Benjamin Linus Blogging<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxj-8nUzOt_-Z5qotQfJuGQjD-VuED8oVFXFlDIrNj1K7FuLiH3lEjwDwu5OKAZffEegQKPsoRm7bK5kt2FzJMFdFK58uppj5PT224bRXQerAuoMfZkSkakt8bRPuJFTojMal9S4Fx0E/s1600-h/Ben+with+Juliet.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxj-8nUzOt_-Z5qotQfJuGQjD-VuED8oVFXFlDIrNj1K7FuLiH3lEjwDwu5OKAZffEegQKPsoRm7bK5kt2FzJMFdFK58uppj5PT224bRXQerAuoMfZkSkakt8bRPuJFTojMal9S4Fx0E/s320/Ben+with+Juliet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5177809034764896466" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I love the play of shadows on Ben's face here, from the episode <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://lostpedia.com/wiki/One_of_Us">One of Us</a>. I'll never get tired of hearing him say "So, I guess I'm out of the book club". </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Screencap via <a href="http://michaelemerson.net/coppermine/">Michael Emerson.net</a> (thanks Edith!)</span>Henry Hollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15871451112170286316noreply@blogger.com0