Dec
6
2011
The ban on earmarks is holding up quite well. Of course, now you don’t need earmarks, because now they are calling them “special provisions“.
In the same fashion, Newt was NOT a lobbyist.
Hat tip goes out to Senators Claire McCaskill (D) and Pat Toomey (R) for trying to hold their constituent feet to the fire. Too bad they will fail.
Dec
6
2011
This is a hoot!
Furious parents vented their anger at a headteacher who turned off his school’s heating on one of the coldest days of the year.
Pupils at Ansford Academy in Castle Cary, Somerset, were forced to grip their pens through thick gloves and wear their coats and hats in class as temperatures dropped to 1C.
The school’s headmaster, Rob Benzie, shut down the radiators as an experiment to show students how the school could cut its carbon footprint.
You might think this is outrageous, but it’s right in line with the Green philosophy of life, and how life should be for the masses. From a previous Sonicfrog post – note:
Professor Kevin Anderson, Director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, said the only way to reduce global emissions enough, while allowing the poor nations to continue to grow, is to halt economic growth in the rich world over the next twenty years. (1)
This would mean a drastic change in lifestyles for many people in countries like Britain as everyone will have to buy less ‘carbon intensive’ goods and services such as long haul flights and fuel hungry cars.
Prof Anderson admitted it “would not be easy” to persuade people to reduce their consumption of goods
He said politicians should consider a rationing system similar to the one introduced during the last “time of crisis” in the 1930s and 40s.
This could mean a limit on electricity so people are forced to turn the heating down….
This is the way they want to reshape the world. Back to the first story.
Mr Benzie said he hoped to repeat the eco day again next term.
“I considered the day a success”.
Of course you do! So do I… But not in the way you intended.
Dec
5
2011
So I guess if any of these three win, we’ll have a Marriage Czar?
Of all the problems out there, they have to sign a pledge for THIS? Romney sure can pander with the best worst of them, can’t he.
Dec
4
2011
On the Talk Bass forum, there is a post by a guitarist who has decided to learn to play bass. Here is my advice for those going from there to here.
I’m in the process of going the other direction, expanding my skills to guitar. I’ve always been a finger-style bass player and never got around to learning to play with a pick. Now that I’ve been guitaring for a bit over a year or so, I’ve had to learn to play with a pick. And, wouldn’t you know, now I can play with it on bass too!!!!
The physical stuff will come in time, it’s the learning to listen with a different ear that is the real skill. I didn’t see what kind of music you like to listen to and play, but learn to isolate the bass on your favorite songs. You will start to hear all sorts of nuances that you never heard before. I always tell younger players when they ask advise that a good way to think about the bass is to think of each instrument as speaking a different language. Seeing that the bass is playing both a chordal note in the song structure, and keeping the groove with the drummer, the bass player is something like the translator between the guitars, keyboard (if you have them) and the drums.
On playing the groove,that’s the tricky part. I know many have said follow the kick drum, but it’s often not that simple, as many bass players move in and out of the kick pulse. Groove is more the rhythmic gooey center of the song. And some are more clear than others.
Example. Ace – How Long.
OK, first I just have to say that Paul Carrack has one of the greatest voices ever to appear on a record, period! Listen to the way that the bass establishes the pulse of the song at the beginning, yet does some weaving in and out of the pulse when everyone else comes in. this is one of the sweetest lines I know.
Next up, Dock Of The Bay.
Pure bass poetry, compliments of Duck Dunn. One of those songs where if you don’t focus on it, the bass sounds easy, yet the line is quite complex.
Then there is the bass as a simple but powerful anchor. Tea In The Sahara.
Solid. Police / Sting. Need I say more?Hope this helps.
Nov
30
2011
Something like this did happen once… Except it was Crowded House. But I am also a huge Toto fan.
Here is the original author of the comic – Questionable Content.