Never Ending Math Equation

Morningbell -- Sincerely, Severely

2009-12-09T10:25:00.001-07:00

http://www.myspace.com/morningbell

Since my relationship to music has primarily been one of consumer rather than producer, I probably fall too often into the trap of armchair critic. Being jaded from an age of overexposure, it's always tempting to zoom in on drawbacks rather than think more broadly about the tremendous effort any musician makes during the writing & recording process. But recently I got a fresh jolt on that perspective thanks to my good friend Chris Hillman's band Morningbell and their new record Sincerely, Severely. Having heard previous incarnations of Chris' music (Narwhal anyone?) made me appreciate how a musician's abilities can develop over time. And knowing a band member in real life better enabled me to envision the whole process from songwriting to production, thus making salient the hard work and attention to detail I saw in this record.

On the first half of the album the band quickly establishes themselves as gutsy, first-rate experimenters, showcasing a stylistic and instrumental diversity that encompasses everything from punchy guitar riffs ("Let's Not Lose Our Heads"), to smoky noir trombone ("Stay in the Garden"), to orchestral synth ("Hello, Dali"). Feeling pulled in so many directions was very fun and exciting, if at times discombobulating. But the second part of the album was where I thought the band really shined. There, Morningbell does a fantastic job of contrasting jaunty, uptempo pop songs ("The Blue Whale and The Fly", "King Mango Strut") with hazy psychedelic jams ("Oh Return", "Shoot It Down"). Really look forward to hearing more from Morningbell!

Here are a few of my favorite moments from the album:

1 Let's Not Lose Our Heads -- Handclaps! and harmonies on the final crescendo

2 Marching Off to War -- Awesome groove especially starting around 2:20, the drums here are key giving the song a propulsive yet ramshackle feel

7 The Blue Whale and the Fly -- Really liked the production, highlights each individual instrument yet hangs together very naturally

9 King Mango Strut -- Very catchy riff, especially horns

10 Picture of the Sun -- Simple and superb pop imagery + memorable chorus & bridge could make this a single candidate

12 Oh, Return -- Personal favorite, found myself absentmindedly whistling the tune hours later

13 Shoot It Down -- Dreamy, especially loved the buildup at the end.

Marching Off To War - Morningb...

Electric Avenue

2009-12-01T23:23:00.000-07:00

It's funny how a song you've probably heard many times before suddenly enters your consciousness. I'm sure I was vaguely aware of Electric Avenue's existence through gradual osmosis of interminable VH1 countdowns, but it wasn't until sometime a year ago or so (I think watching Pineapple Express) that it occupied a distinct part of my brain. Now I hear it everywhere (quite often on my home speakers). The most memorable public experience was at a super divey bar in Tuscon where Ellen and I stopped for lunch back in August. The place was jammed at 2pm on a weekday (what better time to get smashed?). Someone threw this on the jukebox and the place instantly became electrified! (sorry)

Aeroplane

2009-11-30T20:02:00.000-07:00

I first came across Aeroplane through their set on the excellent Resident Advisor podcast. Now, I don't really know (or care) that much about trends or stars in the house/techno scene, but in a sea of generic minimal, these guys stood out. Technically I guess they are disco, but all I know is that they make me (and others) feel good. I sort of equate Aeroplane to a less-ADD, Euro-clubber's version of Girl Talk: easy to dance to, massive major key highs, and just the right touch of indie street-cred from inserting songs by hip bands like XX or Fleet Foxes. Fantastic stuff to exercise to. And lucky for us they've also been posting monthly mixes. Enjoy!

Aeroplane Mix Chart October 09 mp3 by Aeroplane

Aeroplane "Chart Mix" November 2009 by Aeroplane

Neon Indian/Washed Out

2009-11-23T17:27:00.001-07:00

I was recently reading Pitchfork's summary of the last decade in music, and stumbled upon a curious new trend/scene I had never heard about (scroll to "Summer"). I checked out two of the artists mentioned (Neon Indian and Washed Out) and one month later am still pretty stoked about the discovery: lo-fi, hazy, warm, melodic, nostalgic, electronic. Kind of reminds me of the feeling of sunshine on a crisp winter morning.

Dirty Projectors

2009-11-22T15:04:00.004-07:00

Dirty Projectors can be confusing on first listen, the guitar melodies and yelping vocals seem almost haphazard, tripping over each other. But after a couple listens it totally gels and in my case became serious earworm material. "Temecula Sunrise" has some great lines about suburban lifestyle which I can totally relate to growing up in Southeast FL:

"I live on a strip beyond the dealership, yeah!"

"And what hits the spot, yeah, like gatorade? You and me baby"

Has anyone else had a gatorade recently that totally hit the spot? Sometimes it is absolutely the perfect relief. I started keeping a stash handy just for that reason -- it happens a lot here out in the desert air.

Sleigh Bells

2009-11-21T18:09:00.000-07:00

Apparently this band, Sleigh Bells, got a lot of hype at CMJ. If you're listening, don't try to adjust the speakers, that's actually how they sound. The blown levels are an offense to the ears but also kind of endearing. I feel like this really captures a lo-fi ethic for the late aughts: Proudly emulating the way most of us hear music these days -- overcompressed mp3s blasting through tinny laptop speakers at max vol. The 90s had Malkmus' unpolished slacker slur and guitar noodling. Is this DIY in '09?

Uptown Baby

2009-11-21T18:05:00.000-07:00

This blog hasn't happened in a while but no lame excuses, just gonna jump right in here.

I love these videos because they show what impossible perfectionists Steely Dan must have been to work with in a band/studio -- but damn did they make some amazing songs! One of my best New York moments this summer was finding a used vinyl copy of Aja (the album "Black Cow" is from) left on the street. I played it pretty much continuously when I first moved to Arizona and only had a turntable set up.

Steely Dan: making of The Black Cow

My Op-Ed is in the Sarasota Herald Tribune!

2008-09-24T06:03:00.000-07:00

Rapid transit is a sound investment for Sarasota County

By EDWARD BURGESS GUEST COLUMNIST

Published: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 7:10 p.m.

One of the big debates in Congress and on the presidential trail is whether drilling offshore will help lower gas prices. Unfortunately, the reality is that no amount of offshore drilling will fix this crisis. The fact is that the U.S. holds less than 1 percent of the world's oil in its offshore reserves, and the Energy Information Agency confirms we are a decade away from extracting it. In other words, even in 10 years, when offshore drilling gets under way, it will scarcely dent the global oil trade that ultimately dictates pump prices.

If increasing our oil supply is not feasible, what options are left? Perhaps the solution is not to get more oil, but to simply use less of it. Doing so will not only mean less money sent overseas to petro-dictators, but also less global warming, better air quality, more economic competitiveness, and more money in our pockets.

In fact, whether we realize it or not, most Americans already have started using less oil. Across the country, people are scrambling to get a ride to work or to the store on a bus or a train. As gas prices rose, public transit ridership exploded -- and not just in big cities with extensive subway systems -- but also in small towns with only a single bus route.

In fact, 86 percent of transit systems nationwide recently have experienced ridership increases. Sarasota is no exception: Sarasota County Area Transit ridership was up about 14 percent this July compared with last year.

Unfortunately, 85 percent of transit agencies are short on funding, due to strained capacity and escalating fuel costs. Congress is beginning to think about more sensible transportation funding, and if next year's federal transportation bill prioritizes transit investment, it could be a defining moment in breaking our oil addiction.

Today Sarasota County officials face an important decision about funding SCAT's new Bus Rapid Transit project. County commissioners should consider the fact that transit is a sound investment for our struggling economy. Analysis by the American Public Transportation Association shows that transit infrastructure typically pays $6 back to the economy for every $1 invested.

Investing in transit also makes economic sense, because it means we will ship fewer of our hard-earned dollars overseas by filling up our gas tanks, but instead keep them here in the local economy and create new green jobs.

Moreover, transit investment also helps attract new business customers, increase property values and reduce wasteful traffic congestion. Florida, which has felt the crunch of the housing market more than most places, could desperately use that sort of economic stimulation.

Finally, transit is the best way to create affordable access to jobs and could be a boon to low-income neighborhoods in Sarasota, especially as we head toward recession.

Still, some have raised important questions about whether Bus Rapid Transit will be successful here. Let's compare Sarasota to a place with an almost identical population density and county residents, Eugene, Ore. Eugene's new BRT line, which replaced an existing route in 2007, increased the route's ridership by 70 percent.

Transit is not only good for the economy, but it is good for the environment. In fact, if every American drove 10 fewer miles per week, that would save enough energy to power 8 million homes.

Furthermore, it's no secret that Florida's epidemic of sprawled development has not only ravaged the natural ecosystem, but shackled us to car and oil dependence.

However, innovative transit solutions such as Bus Rapid Transit can help put us on the track to more sustainable land-use patterns. Smart, transit-oriented, mixed-use development can help reduce the need for driving altogether. Imagine our kids being able to walk to school again or parents taking a stroll to the neighborhood grocery store.

Meanwhile, many creative transportation solutions exist, such as van-pool networks linked via cell phone that can help serve more rural areas and give seniors safe, independent transportation options.

For those who want to reduce our foreign oil dependence, rally our economy, and save the environment, here's to a new battle cry: "Ride, baby, ride!"

Edward Burgess is a research associate for Environmental Defense Fund, a national nonprofit environmental group based in New York City. He graduated from Pine View School in Osprey in 2003.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080924/COLUMNIST/809240337/2127?Title=Rapid_transit_is_a_sound_investment_for_Sarasota_County

Solving the Battery Problem in a Big Way

2008-08-19T22:47:00.003-07:00

What's not to love about electric cars? No tailpipe pollution, fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and although the energy must be generated somewhere, doing so outside of the car (i.e. power plants, windmills, etc.) is generally cleaner and more efficient. And for all the car junkies out there, electric engines can actually provide much more torque and acceleration than conventional combustion engines (if you don't believe me look at this). To top it off, they're great for recessions since electricity is cheaper than gas and help use reduce oil dependence a hell of a lot better than all this codswallop about drilling ever will.

There is however, one little problem: the battery. What's really holding electric cars back is the fact that battery technology has not advanced far enough to 1.) charge quickly and 2.) store enough juice to go long distances. It's often been said that the person who can solve the battery problem will be a billionaire. Well perhaps this is the guy:

Driven: Shai Agassi's Audacious Plan to Put Electric Cars on the Road

The article above from Wired profiles the head of Project Better Place which is is trying to create an electric car reality that you can really envision. And they are more than just trying -- they are already going full steam in Israel and Denmark. Hawaii and San Francisco could be next. The basic premise is this:

-set up a network of charging stations
-computer in car tells you where to go to charge up during work, shopping trips, etc.
-for long trips when you can't wait around for the batter to charge, visit a car-wash-like battery exchange station and get a fresh fully charged
-you pay for the electricity you use through a payment plan, just like minutes on a cell phone
-the best part: You know how you can get a free or cheap cell phone when you get a new contract? well the same idea can apply here! Imagine getting a free car and just paying for the amount you drive it!

For enviros like me, the final kicker to all this is that not only does it solve the battery problem, but it could potentially solve the problem of renewable energy storage. Think about it -- the wind is not always blowing. So even though we all love wind it wont always produce power when we need it most. If only utilities could figure out some way to store that energy in a massive network of batteries -- oh wait!

While this seems by and large a great idea, I have a few qualms that are not addressed in the article. Mainly, what is the life-cycle impact of producing/manufacturing the batteries and infrastructure needed? My hunch is that it's probably less than the current impact for combustion engines manufacture and oil infrastructure, but it's definitely worth doing a little homework to find out the answer. For example, there was a myth perpetuated by the auto industry a while back that Hummers are more environmentally friendly than Priuses due to energy costs of manufacturing the Prius' battery, but that claim was largely debunked.

Mix-tape club -- summer edition

2008-07-24T19:41:00.011-07:00

Laura and Jeff started up the really cool idea of a mix-tape club. Each month we come up with a set of themes and choose songs to match them. For example: a song about transportation or a song about work or a song by a one-hit wonder. Then we mail out CDs to everyone in the club. Our most recent installment was a collection of “summer songs” – not necessarily about summer but songs that somehow invoke a summery feel. Here were my picks:

Summer Songs

1. El Guincho – Palmitos Park
“Bajando de la montaña en seguida me puse a cantar una canción sin motivo”

2. Weezer – Surf Wax America
“I'm goin' surfin' cuz I don't like your face.”

3. Loudon Wainwright III – The Swimming Song
“At the latter I was informal, at the former I wore my suit – I wore my swimming suit.”

4. Nelly – Ride With Me
As a freshman on my high school crew team, I vividly remember the varsity men playing this song on loop from a boombox during a Miami regatta – an experience I also associate with inescapable, sweltering summer heat.

5. North Mississippi Allstars – Meet Me In the City
I just discovered that this track is actually a cover of a song by blues legend Junior Kimbrough about whom I know nothing. Can anyone recommend any other songs?

6. The Doobie Brothers – What a Fool Believes

7. Electric Light Orchestra – Mr. Blue Sky
A fair-weather homage to “A Day in the Life” and other great Beatles songs.

8. The Smiths – Cemetry Gates
“A dreaded sunny day, so let’s go where we’re happy and I’ll meet you at the cemetery gates”

9. The Allman Bros. Band – Southbound
Any summer mix is not complete without a few good driving songs fit for rolling down the windows and cranking the jams. For me, The Allman Bros. are a tried and true classic to suit that need.

10. Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys – New Mule Skinner Blues
Summer also wouldn’t be complete without some bluegrass. According to history Bill Monroe virtually invented the style so they named it after his band.

11. John Prine and Bonnie Raitt – Angel from Montgomery
Just like “California Stars,” this song has a deep sentimental value for me. Another camp favorite, this song was usually sung in the evening by the old barn just as the fireflies were starting to appear. Hearing it again instantly makes me homesick for what is one of favorite places on earth – the little enclave in the rolling hills of West Virginia where I spent most of my summers.

12. Belle & Sebastian – I’m A Cuckoo
Rhyming “Tokyo” with “Thin Lizzy-O” is only forgivable since it is followed by the genius pairing of “cuckoo” and “Harajuku.”

13. Traveling Wilburys – Margarita
If this song were in a crossword, the clue might be: “A Dylan, Petty, et al, summer beverage recommendation?”

14. The Emotions – Best of my Love
Another feel-good classic to suit the season

15. Incubus – Summer Romance (Anti-Gravity Love Song)
In college we once strung a tin-can phone across the quad. Needless to say it didn’t actually work but it was still fun trying.

16. Coolio – Fantastic Voyage
“Slide, slide, slippity-slide” – a song about escapism.

17. Jamiroquoi – Seven Days in Sunny June
Pretty self-explanatory I think

18. Gui Boratto – Beautiful Life

Bonus Track: Soft Tigers (Waxmasters remix) – Ice Cream
Ok, I apologize in advance for including this sonic atrocity, but I thought it was pretty hilarious at least the first time around.

PickensPlan

2008-07-24T19:29:00.001-07:00

What do you think of Pickens' plan??? In a twist of fate one of the biggest oil baron's is pushing the envelope and making big bets on renewables. This seems much more sensible than drilling for new oil.

Gore’s vision

2008-07-23T19:41:00.002-07:00

No doubt you’ve seen or heard snippets of Al Gore’s latest vision – to eliminate our use of carbon-based fuels in 10 years. The speech can be seen here:

This is a grand vision and indeed probably unrealistic. But to the naysayers I say this: Al Gore has become a strong leader in recent years not for the nuance of his policies, but for his ability to broadcast a message widely and rally a cause. Here, he has once again grasped an important concept that undoubtedly will be mocked but is important nonetheless – that societies need a vision they can see and anything beyond 10 years is simply beyond our collective line of sight. Here, Gore has taken the biggest challenges of our generation and presented them in a way that can inspire and capture the imagination of its constituents. Like the space race, we can yearn for the day our society pulls together to achieve our goals. Even if we only get to 50% carbon-free by 2018, that will have been an extraordinary leap from Business as Usual. Why not set our sights high?

Mass transit to ease our oil woes?

2008-07-21T22:05:00.003-07:00

There is a torrent of news flying around the country about high gas prices. One facet of this story which has received much deserved attention is the fact that drivers are now flocking to mass transit since they can’t afford to fill up at >$4/gallon. I worked with one of the GIS gurus at EDF to help illustrate this trend in a map published recently on one of our official blogs.

The results are pretty shocking. This is happening all across the country – even in places you wouldn’t expect. Here are a few of the most dramatic examples:

>40% increase in ridership in parts of South Florida

34% increase on light rail ridership in Charlotte

8% increase in Denver despite a fare hike in Jan.

So what’s next? Well, oil prices show no sign of slowing down with demand skyrocketing from growth in developing countries. We may have truly reached a turning point in our energy economy and if I had my way we would use this momentum to build a functioning transit system and wean our country off of auto-centric, oil dependent, suburban sprawl. It’s amazing also how so many quick political fixes have arisen that will essentially do nothing but delay the problem: e.g. offshore drilling, cracking down on speculation.

Indeed we can never solve the “gas price crisis” by increasing supply; the U.S. only has about 3% of the world’s oil reserves (only 1/5 of that is off-shore) so increasing production here won’t make any difference whatsoever in the global supply-demand balance that dictates gas prices. What we really need to do is decrease our oil demand by transitioning to an economy that is not so dependent on it. Supporting mass transit is one of the best ways I can think of to do that. The solutions aren't even that hard -- bus rapid transit for example is relatively cheap compared to rail infrastructure. But it will require some initial investment that has been sorely lacking as we continue to pour money into new highway construction.

In fact many major transit authorities are suffering from the poor economy and are in major budget crises. Without major help from the government many of them could be on the verge of collapse. There is a bill that just passed the house and will now move to the senate that could inject some emergency funding into transit systems nationwide – that may be our best hope in this administration.

This isn't just an issue about oil and energy either. Mass transit addresses social inequities by giving all communities cheaper, better access to jobs and economic opportunities.

The slumbering beast awakens

2008-07-21T22:02:00.000-07:00

It time to this into high gear; Brand new posts starting now...

Carnegie hall

2008-04-15T15:04:00.000-07:00

Got to go to a free show at Carnegie hall last night (thanks to
anand's friend mel)! Ok so it was actually not in the main theater but
in the zankler room (aka poor mans carnegie hall) but I'm not
complaining. Actually the elevator was bigger than my bedroom. pianist
Bruce levingston performed. My classical knowledge is limited but I
enjoyed the brahams waltz and liszt piece at the end. There was some
weird modern stuff too which was interesting but didnt come close to
matching the classic stuff in my opinion.

March record store visit

2008-04-02T14:01:00.002-07:00

Just here to talk about the what how and why of my most recent record store visit. I think this will be more interesting rather than conjuring some feeble attempt to take on serious criticism.

Drive-by Truckers, Brighter Than Creations Dark: Awesome! Sort of an impulse buy (nice when that pays off), but I had read a few good things on these guys. Owing to the name I had always assumed to be cheeseball southern rock (which is not a bad thing). Instead, they are southern rock that really rocks but is not totally 1-dimensional. Apt, albeit dark, depictions of Americana.

MGMT, Oracular Spectacular: So my brother's friend's brother knew these guys in college. They also opened for the Of Montreal concert I went to in the fall. "kids" off the old 2006 cdr was a favorite amongst the SRQ crowd of my brothers ilk.

They've added a lot of reverb to the album version which I think was unnecessary. I love the first half of the album but not the second.

Kate Bush, Hounds of Love: First heard of her in a Terrace Club mailing list destress email sent during exam time that included the video for "Wuthering Heights."

She popped up later again whilst perusing a highly entertaining pitchfork feature. Thought it was all a big joke at first given her eccentric singing/dancing. But after going back several times to watch again, I realized I couldn't deny this song. Hounds of Love I decided to buy amidst other potential options because I love the cover of the title track done by the Futureheads.

Beach House, Devotion: First became interested in these guys after hearing "apple orchard" on a pitchfork recommend. It was one of those tracks I didn't even know I liked until I was later humming the tune in my head. I think the melody was just to slow and sleepy to comprehend at first. Got interested in Devotion after another rave pitchfork review and a few trial runs on the hype-machine This album keeps the similar, druggy, slow-moving feel but not quite as spacey as that track.

Top 2007ish Albums: New Music

2008-01-09T22:24:00.000-07:00

It's list season! That wonderful time of year when critics gather to arbitrarily define the year's culture in multiples of ten. No real surprises on my list -- in a strange way all the lists I've seen this year have been extremely consistent. I think the heavy hitters this year were very easy to spot on first listen. Besides the albums though, I picked some of my favorite tracks from the year -- many of which I would have liked to put on the Christmas album I toiled over last month but perhaps did not meet my rigorous criteria of short length and broad appeal. Also, note that a few albums are from 2006, mostly electronica -- ones I simply hadn't heard until recently but still wanted to include.

	Artist	Album	Song Pick
1.	Radiohead	In Rainbows
2.	LCD Soundsystem	Sound of Silver
3.	Of Montreal	Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
4.	Panda Bear	Person Pitch
5.	Spoon	Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
6.	Beirut	Flying Cup Club
7.	Battles	Mirrored
8.	Justice	Cross
9.	M.I.A.	Kala
10.	Burial	Untrue
11.	Menomena	Friend or Foe
12.	Simian Mobile Disco	Attack Decay Sustain Release
13.	Caribou	Andorra
14.	Iron & Wine	Shepard's Dog
15.	The National	Boxer
16.	Apparat/Ellen Allien	Orchestra of Bubbles (2006)
17.	Kanye West	Graduation
18.	Blitzen Trapper	Wild Mountain Nation
19.	LCD Soundsystem	45:33:00
20.	Feist	The Reminder
21.	Lindstrom	It's a Feedelity Affair (2006)
22.	Animal Collective	Strawberry Jam
23.	Gui Boratto	Chromaphobia
24.	Studio	West Coast
25.	The Knife	Silent Shout
26.	The White Stripes	Icky Thump
27.	The Arcade Fire	Neon Bible
28.	High on Fire	Death is this Communion
29.	Holy Fuck	LP
30.	The Shins	Wincing the Night Away

Stay tuned for the second part in this which I share some great non-2007 albums I appreciated in 2007.

"Ocean Acidification" or "Why You Should Be Scared About Rising CO2 Emissions Even If You Are A Climate Change Skeptic"

2008-01-06T10:22:00.000-07:00

At this point the debate given from dwindling but increasingly aggressive climate change skeptics goes something like this:
1. We concede that the climate is warming
2. We concede that CO2 levels are rising
3. But there is still not enough evidence that the changing climate is linked to anthropogenic (man-made) CO2 emissions.
4. Therefore, we should not hasten to reduce our CO2 emissions because the consequences of doing so are extreme and may not do anything to help climate change.

Many skeptics maintain this view despite the mountains of evidence that CO2 and climate are indeed linked and that humans are more than likely a major contributor to these effects. They say this despite their counter-arguments being disproved time after time. They say this despite the fact that the risks involved with climate change far exceed the sacrifices needed to change our behavior. They say this despite the fact that the planet is not something we ought to gamble with, regardless how right or wrong the science is.

Given that this debate is often as fruitful as debating a creationist on evolution, I propose a different tact in winning support for timely action on this issue: explain the looming problem of ocean acidification.

The problem:
CO2 emitted into the atmosphere is absorbed by the oceans. In fact, about a third of the CO2 we have emitted is now contained in the world's vast oceans. Once absorbed, CO2 then undergoes a chemical reaction to create carbonic acid. It's now been proven that the ocean's acidity level has slowly but surely been increasing from the CO2 humans have emitted. This has enormous consequences for the marine food web. Aquatic ecosystems are sustained by small organisms like coral, diatoms and pteropods:

The survival of these organisms depends on their ability to create a protective carbonate shells. When the water's acidity increases, their shells simply dissolve and these organisms cannot survive.

Let me make one thing clear about this phenomenon: this acidification is occurring due to a very basic chemical reaction that is well understood and has been proven countless times in the laboratory. There is no uncertainty about the effects of CO2 on water's acidity. It is also well known that the affected organisms make up the base of the food chain in many ocean ecosystems. Thus if uncertainty in climate science creates a stumbling block when arguing skeptics, perhaps we can turn to an argument unrelated to climate -- an argument for which there is virtually no uncertainty that an unchecked rise in CO2 will have global consequences. If skeptics are unwilling to be convinced on the climate argument alone, perhaps they would be willing to recognize the economic, social, and political consequences of the collapse of global fisheries.

Arrogance and Warming

2007-12-21T09:45:00.000-07:00

Scathing NYT editorial on EPA's waiver denial:

The Bush administration’s decision to deny California permission to
regulate and reduce global warming emissions from cars and trucks is an
indefensible act of executive arrogance that can only be explained as the
product of ideological blindness and as a political payoff to the automobile
industry.
The decision, announced Wednesday by Stephen Johnson, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, overrode the advice of his legal and technical staffs, misconstrued the law and defied both Congress and the federal courts...

It also makes a very good case against the argument that a national standard is better than patchwork state regulation:

One of Mr. Johnson’s arguments was that a "national solution" to carbon dioxide emissions was preferable to a "confusing patchwork of state rules." A national solution is precisely what the administration has refused to offer. And the California rule — once in force there and in 17 other states — would in fact constitute a uniform standard covering nearly half the car market. That is why the automakers lobbied so fiercely against it.

Worst President in American History?

2007-12-21T09:22:00.000-07:00

Gristmill's attitude slays me:

By single-handedly stopping any international action on climate at Bali, by stopping California from regulating tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions, by forcing Congress to drop almost all non-oil-related provisions to cut GHGs from the energy bill -- all in one week! -- one man proved his unchallenged high-impact misleadership on the issue of the century: George Bush.

In a related story, the FHS (Future Historians Society), having previously named Bush the Worst President in American History, awarded him one of their rare Worst Leaders of All Time Awards, alongside such notables as Neville Chamberlain and Nero, for his tireless efforts to destroy the health and well-being of the next 50 generations.

http://feeds.grist.org/~r/grist/gristmill/~3/203690846/2881

Catching up on Climate Change: US Fuel Economy Standards

2007-12-19T18:45:00.000-07:00

Two very historic things happened today in US environmental politics.

1) President Bush signed into law the new energy bill that Congress recently passed. This bill

a) Raises fuel efficiency standards for cars (the first time this has occurred in over 20 years),
b) Requires refiners to replace 36 billion gallons of gasoline with biofuel by 2022 (No more than 15 billion of which can be corn-based ethanol -- I'll spare the rant about why corn ethanol is not such a great idea), and
c) Sets requirements for energy efficient lighting and appliances.

The most important change however is the first one; flying in the face of auto-industry opposition this marks a major change from what the administration has previously allowed. Unfortunately, filibuster threats from Senate Republicans and a veto threat from the president caused lawmakers to eliminate provisions mandating 15% renewable energy standards. Much of this renewable energy would have been paid for by reducing $20 billion in tax cuts for big oil companies.

2) The EPA rejected California's application for a waiver to preempt federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions.

What exactly does this mean? Well lets recap a little recent history. Earlier this year, the historic Massachusetts vs. EPA supreme court case clarified that the EPA has the power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. Following this, Vermont lawmakers enacted a state law mandating 30% emissions cuts from cars. At a VT court case following in September, a federal judge upheld the state law to regulate, ruling against automaker challenges. The same decision was made recently in a California court case where the federal judge followed VT's precedent.

The only remaining step in this regulatory dance was for the EPA to grant California a waiver. This waiver would preempt the state from federal standards, allowing it to set its own, stricter emissions standards. Last week the waiver was thought to be a shoe-in since waivers of this type have historically always been granted. But it didn't happen. The EPA rejected CA's request, advocating instead for a unified national emissions standards -- after all that is what today's energy bill does.

Here's a quote from the head of the EPA pulled from the NYT article:
"The Bush administration is moving forward with a clear national solution — not a confusing patchwork of state rules," Mr. Johnson told reporters on a conference call. "I believe this is a better approach than if individual states were to act alone."

This rejection is certainly a disappointment for the environmental community. However, from the industry's perspective, Mr. Johnson's reasoning makes sense -- patchwork regulations are a nightmare for business and national scheme provides more stability for manufacturers. But one might also argue that time is of the essence and bogging down states from their individual efforts to reduce emissions in favor of slower-moving national framework is counterproductive.

UPDATE: Legal experts have called Johnson's rejection of the waiver legally unjustifiable. Waivers for the Clean Air Act like this have never been denied throughout the act's 37 year history.

Complete - Beautiful Sunrises

2007-12-19T18:31:00.000-07:00

This band is truly untalented. On one level a complete joke. But then again you have to give it up for their passion. They are totally into their music, despite how bad it sounds -- clearly doing this for nobody but themselves (except perhaps the dancing girl at 1:10?). Nobody could reproduce this even if they tried. The next Shaggs perhaps?

Science Debate 2008 | Salon.com

2007-12-12T23:07:00.000-07:00

This article is very in line with my own thinking -- policy makers ought to make an effort to include scientists in more of their decision making. But I would also argue that the converse is true: scientists ought to do a better job of communicating their work and its implications to the policy world. Both sides need help and fast if the US is to remain a leader in the global economy. Green technology may provide the perfect opportunity to give us a boost. Now if only our nation's leaders had the foresight to push this opportunity...

Science Debate 2008 | Salon.com

Evangelical Movement - Religion and Politics - Presidential Election of 2008 - Christians and Christianity - Voting and Voters - New York Times

2007-10-31T13:52:00.000-07:00

I thought this article was pretty fascinating. Thanks to andrew for
sharing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/28/magazine/28Evangelicals-t.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5087&em&en=de9f1bf927ffa96e&ex=1193889600

Catching Up on Music

2007-10-28T11:53:00.002-07:00

LIVE: Of Montreal @ Roseland Ballroom, NYC

Elaborate stageshow with costume changes, props, playacting, and surrealist cartoons. Shockingly jam-packed audience, full of high-school aged kids. Didn't realize this band had become so popular but evidently struck a chord with the emo crowd.

LIVE: Beirut @ Terrace Club, Princeton NJTheir slow accordion waltzes an Eastern European melodies built the perfect vibe for a lazy Sunday lawnparty at the Terrace club.

NEW: Iron & Wine, The Shepard's Dog

Sam Beam takes his excellent songwriting and fleshes it out in the studio, adding more instrumentation and vocal effects that go a long way to compliment his sparse (albeit beautiful) guy w/ guitar sound of previous work. (Thanks for the recommend Laura!)

NEW: Animal Collective "Fireworks" from the album Strawberry Jam

USED: Hall & Oates
Classic Philly blue-eyed soul duo whose faded popularity has now resurfaced as the cult-classic pop icons they are. Can't argue with these songs:

More to catch up on soon: next episode is on Climate Change.

Queens Ledger

2007-10-27T00:31:00.000-07:00

Queens Ledger

Check out my quote!

My "In Rainbows" Experience

2007-10-10T21:36:00.000-07:00

I have been reluctant to write full reviews for albums because: a) It's time-consuming and b) It's impossible to keep up with the steady stream of reviews from internet music hounds who have already said it better and said it first. However, this album has inspired me to break the mold.

First a little context...

It's 10pm on Sunday October 1st, 2007. I'm on the train back from Burlington visiting Ellen. Bored, I decide to check my internet phone and browse a few music related forums. I stumble across a post titled "Radiohead - In Rainbows" which has garnered a surprising number of hits despite being only active for 1 hour. This immediately got my attention...

Radiohead has a notoriously rabid fanbase (You can now count me as a convert). I have always had tremendous respect for the band, and continue to acknowledge their position as one of the most important bands in our generation. And although OK Computer is one of my favorite albums ever, I have maintained a relatively casual attitude as a fan of the band. Nonetheless it's impossible to ignore the tiniest tidbits of Radiohead's daily affairs that become news to an utterly smitten music press. But at the moment, the phrase In Rainbows didn't ring a bell. Curiously, I click to the forum post which links a quote from the Radiohead website:

Hello everyone.

Well, the new album is finished, and it's coming out in 10 days;

We've called it In Rainbows.

Love from us all.
Jonny

Whoa! Hold up! Their last LP was 4 years ago! I can't decide which is bigger news: 1) the short notice announcing this mammoth release or 2) the fact that it is being offered as a free download where anyone can name their own price. Another masterstroke from an ingenious band. Immediately this got my support and I chipped in for a pre-order at 3 British pounds (about 6 bucks).

It's 1:50 am on October 10th. Just getting ready for bed I get a ping in my inbox and notice the fateful subject: DOWNLOAD IN RAINBOWS. Never in my life has a band emailed me to let me know there is a copy of their record awaiting me. I knew this would happen sooner or later, but for some unexpected reason it became a joyous and momentous occasion. What immediately struck me was that band had created a truly unique event by releasing the album in this way. It brought back memories of bygone days before the internet when anticipated new albums required the momentous trip to the record store (And, likewise, sitting in class next to that jackass who got the new record before going to school instead of waiting until after like everyone else). Anxiously returning from the "record store", I unwrap my new digital package. It's late, past bedtime, but I figure I ought to listen to a couple tracks anyways (after all I paid a fair price for this, right?).

The electronic staccato opening of "15 step" kicks in.. then Thom Yorke's voice floats in.. and then luscious guitars! There's no doubt about this being a Radiohead album. But beset by the anticipation beforehand, I realized I had no clue what do expect. This music was definitely subtle, and it would take some time to form an initial opinion. But it also was strangely hypnotizing after the first two songs. I decided to listen on. It was the third track that finally slayed me. Yorke's angelic voice on "Nude" weaved perfectly in and out of the strings and guitars. I was hooked. I had to hear the rest.

It's now 2:20 am. Before going to bed I check the blogs. A few people already have some bare-bones reactions -- virtually all positive (a definite rarity). But despite glowing impressions, the fun part was that the dialog was ongoing! The usual record release process of announcement, anticipation, leak, advance copies, hype, backlash, and finally release, often diffuses expectations and causes impressions to be made over a long drawn out period. But in this case everybody was in the same boat together. All living the experience at the same time without any preconceived notions.

It is 2:37. I lay in bed with my headphones in and try to soak it all in a second time. Now that I am retreading more familiar territory, each song's intent really hits home: Delicately plucked notes in "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi." The killer bass synth and crescendo on "All I Need." "House of Cards," (along with "Nude" mentioned earlier) can now be added to the very short list of songs in the world that have brought me to the verge of tears. As a whole, the album is very textural, but opposed to the alien and bleak atmospheric textures of OK Computer and Kid A, this album is intimate and warm. Already many have described it as organic. In contrast to the tension and anxiety of their last 4 albums, Radiohead finally seem at peace (perhaps owing to their first release after their record contract expired?).

However, the closing track "Videotape" returns somewhat to their familiar melancholy tone with a haunting, gut-wrenching percussion section backed with a minor key piano loop. It almost reminds me of the noise an actual VCR makes when reaching the end of the tape and has to rewind. Perhaps this is over-interpretation, but it sounds like the tape is getting caught and then giving up as the electronic percussion takes over towards the end. It's as if Radiohead have reluctantly given in to the technophobic fears spelled out in previous albums and embraced the onslaught of commodification, homogenization and mechanization in modern society (appropriate for a digital release?). Indeed this theme seems to be present elsewhere as the subtle electronic touches (tricks undoubtedly picked up from their Kid A era) are used seamlessly to enhance the melodic warmth rather than to create tension and hostility brought about in previous albums.

Finally, at 3:19 am after listening twice through the album, I am finally able to pry myself away to get some sleep.

It's 8:03 am, I finally rouse from bed and go through the normal routine for work, but it feels like Christmas as I listen on repeat throughout the day, discovering new twists in each song. Well worth the sleep deprivation. Well worth the 6 bucks many times over. Well worth the wait.

R A D I O H E A D

2007-10-10T00:05:00.000-07:00

R A D I O H E A D

Just had a first listen. Amazing! Very subtle and melodic. No doubt will be a winner. This band had truly perfected their art. Buy it -- or don't -- you name the price (including $0)! DRM free download at the link above.

Pitchfork reports on the release:

Stereogum attempts to generate the early buzz:

Another blog gives it's first impression:

Explosive psychadelia courtesy of Caribou @ Bowery Ballroom

2007-10-07T11:52:00.001-07:00

What a trip! My new friend Tatiana and I'd been talkin' 'bout seein' live rock music for a while. Well we finally did it. The main event was Caribou -- hot off the heels of their acclaimed new record.

But before the show it was a stop at Spitzer's Corner at Ludlow and Rivington. Possibly my favorite bar in NYC yet! In Tatiana's words, it had a Terrace Club vibe, but with significantly more class. And a much finer array of beers. A couple of drinks down and we were off to the Bowery Ballroom -- a legendary venue I've always been set on attending. Definitely lived up to my expectations! Quite an amazing place.

We first walked into the concert hall to be greeted by a truly wild performance from the first opener. The singer seemed to be throwing temper tantrums on stage as he furiously flailed his arms up and down while stomping about. He then grabbed the microphone and started madly sliding it along the guitar strings. A new technique? Not sure if I cared for it. We were curious to know what sorts of substances might inspire such erratic behavior.

After that we were treated to some more pop-oriented songs from the clearly Canadian, and very catchy group Born Ruffians. The singer had a really fun voice! Lots of potential for these guys I imagine.

Then the crowd swelled as the main act took the stage. I hadn't heard too much of this band so I didn't know exactly what to expect. I was pretty blown away by the intensity of their performance. Projected visualizations of swirling geometric images bathed the band in an eerie light. Kicking off with doubled up drums immediately brought on a hypnoticly rhythmic atmosphere.
The music sounds as if they they grew up in modern times with all the electronic stylings of Boards of Canada but then stepped into a time warp back into the 60s and were using their modern sounds to adapt to the dreamy, psychedelic sounds of the bygone era. Very driven and focused musicians -- almost as if they were in a trance, but occasional smiles between each other let you know they were having fun and pleased to see such an enthusiastic crowd. I think I'll buy their new album.

MUSIC: LIVE: Morningbell @ Lit Lounge, NYC

2007-09-15T10:56:00.001-07:00

On Friday Night a wonderfully strange turn of events took place. My good high school friend Chris Hillman was playing drums with his new band here in my very own neighborhood, literally 5 blocks away, at the Lit Lounge. The venue had a charming cave-like feel, indeed some of the clientèle seemed not to have seen the light of day in quite some time. But in addition to the regulars, Chris' appearance drew the masses; Pine View kids crawled out of the woodwork for this spectacle. Guest appearances from Mike Kolarik, Jenny Kirsten, Tricia Baga, Dan Treiman, Vinti Bhatnagar, Rachel Romanski, Santosh Sateesh, and Wen Shi to name a few. It was really fascinating to see everyone in their new places! And to think that so many of us are here in NYC.

The show itself was really fun too. Morningbell put on a very lively and exciting performance. Chris' drums were top notch and the band's tunes hinted at an updated version of many Beatles licks with the spacey atmosphere of the Flaming Lips. In spite of a limited budget, I could also sense their creativity in resorting to Christmas-light adorned jackets and pedal-controlled strobe lights to enhance the spectacle. But it was the surprise addition of the theramin really sealed the deal for me. I've seen plenty of Beatles covers before, but their rendition of the trippy classic "Tomorrow Never Knows" was way cooler than stuff I've heard in the past.

Great work Chris and everyone else in the band. I can see why this band is one of the top performers in the Gainesville scene.

Revival!

2007-09-09T19:51:00.000-07:00

It's a Blog Revival! Tell your friends! Now that I'm official and moved into NYC it's time to revamp this venture with more offbeat curiosities and musical delights. I'm sure I kept you all waiting long enough in anticipation for that elusive next update, but I had to take respite lest this blog become too chore-like. Ayo this technology stuff can sometimes make life far too complicated and I don't want to hear any bitchin about my lame excuses and anachronistic curmudgeonry. Just think of the old days when people had wait 6 months, in the snow, then travel 14 miles by mule-wagon to the post-office and maybe get the tattered remains of a letter from a loved one, delivered via pony-express, if they were lucky. My friend Dan is going with the Peace Corps to the isle of Vanuatu. Mail there can take 6 weeks to deliver. There is no internet. Think of all the time we could save from blogging, youtubing, facebooking, myspacing, iPoding etc. You might even have a few minutes to spare to talk to someone face to face! Apparently this sentiment is gaining in much needed traction:

http://nosoproject.com/

Of course I say this all with a grain of salt. I realize how hypocritical it is to voice these opinions over the internet, on a blog no less. But truthfully, I have found great value in disconnecting. Or better yet: disconnecting and then reconnecting with the outdoors. In fact, one of the things I did in my blog break was attend another scientific conference: the Ecological Society of America (ESA) annual meeting in San Jose, CA where I gave a presentation for a session on on Education and Nature. Basically, the session talked about new ways to get kids to learn/experience/enjoy science and ecology outdoors. Indeed there is a growing disconnect in America's youth with the outdoors. This has big implications not only for helping new generations of ecologists and environment appreciators, but it also plays a big role in child development. In attendance at the conference was the de facto leader of this new "No Child Left Indoors" movement, Richard Louv. For anyone interested, I recommend his book Last Child in the Woods. He covers new evidence suggesting that nature deprivation is manifesting itself in kids with problems like ADD, depression, obesity, lack of creativity and social development and other non-surprising symptoms. Outdoor experience suddenly becomes a public health issue. And it's easy to blame the parents or the kids for being lazy, but that's sort of a cop-out answer for the the larger issues at stake: Loss of natural wilderness for starters, but also unending litigious efforts seeking to "protect" our children from the dangers of the outdoors. Indeed our antiseptic society has grown an unhealthy fear of getting muddy every once and a while. Ask any adult: 9 times out of 10 they played outside as a kid. Not so anymore. Ask any adult concerned about the environment and the percentage is even higher. First hand experience gives a sense of awareness and appreciation for the natural world that is sorely lacking today.

I was lucky enough to really get outside in Vermont last weekend with Ellen. We hiked Mt. Philo just outside of Burlington. Pictures forthcoming (hopefully?). Amazingly, this mountain used to be an island in the Sea of Champlain (once upon a time it was more than just a lake!).

Ok, so to round out this rip-roarin' revival, lets cleanse our pallets some fresh musical tastes. I've devised a new way to categorize my musical discoveries: Live, New & Used. Much like their record store namesakes Live=live shows, New=recent releases, and Used=older stuff I only recently encountered.

MUSIC: Live

Dappled Cities (photo taken with my new phone!)

I saw this band live with my new friend Steve at the Mercury Lounge here in downtown Manhattan. Steve knew the band from when he used to work at Filter magazine and got us in for free on the guest list. Apparently they are from my home country, Australia where they are all the rage. I really enjoyed the show. One song in particular which they played an extended cut for was really stellar.

MUSIC: New

Spoon - GaGaGaGaGa

This is a straight-up fun, rock-steady album from a great band. The kind of album that you can really jive to any time. At a party, chillin on the porch, walkin down the street: you name it these guys will serve up the feel good vibes.

White Stripes - Icky Thump

Favorite song of the new White Stripes album is without a doubt Rag & Bone. The skits in this song are hysterical following typical Jack White mania. FYI rag & bone men are an old-time British gypsies/junk dealers who would take old unused stuff from people and then turn it into something to sell. Like old rags sewn into clothing or bones to boil and make glue. The Whites capture the essence of the lifestyle perfectly in this song.

Justice - †

Hype surrounding this release crescendoed into a CAT-5 storm in the dance music world. Two Parisian producers frequently compared to Daft Punk but with a decidedly edgier sound. The single featured below, although not my favorite on the album, has a really fun video.

M.I.A. - Kala

The globetrotting superstar is back! Ready again with world rhythms as disparate as dijeridoo and Bollywood melodies. This time, a different approach than the knock-you-out beats as the first album. Instead Kala warms up gradually after each listen. Just a quick rehash: M.I.A. is a London born artists raised in Sri Lanka whose father is part of a revolutionary group in the Tamil region of India. She passionately communicates about the true state of the world from perspectives of those in developing countries rather than the Western view of most modern media. And in a much more believable way than the just-for-show Jay-Z-style bhangra sampling craze a few years back.

There's more to talk about but not enough time! Other good releases of note:
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
The National - The Boxer
Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation

MUSIC: Used

XTC, Skylarking - One of my proudest life achievement was approaching the register at High Fidelity Records' cousin, the Princeton Record Exchange, earlier this summer with a used copy of Skylarking. I'd never heard this band before but I knew they were well regarded in the rock canon so I thought I'd give them a shot. The snarky music snob manning the machine glared down at me with his calculating eye. Then after slight hesitation his disposition gave way to a tepid smirk as he saw my purchase and muttered, "Great album," just loud enough for me to hear. Relishing this coveted compliment, I took heart that even hipsters can have compassion for the plebeians every once in a while. His words were not wasted either: this record is amazingly satisfying after many repeated listens. High production values, complex yet tuneful melodies, and sophisticated themes treated with childlike playfulness make this some of the finest British studio-pop of the late 80s.

Love - Forever Changes: Long hailed as a lost classic from the 60s summer of love. Lyrics have a weirdness factor can only stem from the time the album was conceived.

Depeche Mode - Violator: The kings of 80s synthpop (though this was released at the beginning of the 90s). This album is really cohesive and expertly arranged, with a dark and foreboding yet very sensual vibe. The lead singer, Davad Gahan is one of my new favorites.

New Feature: LIFELIST: June 2006

2007-06-27T12:15:00.001-07:00

Now that my blog is on a roll I thought it's time I started to add some regular features. For this one, simply entitled LIFELIST, I'm going to compile lists of the notable wildlife seen in over the course of a month. As mentioned previously, birders often do this, keeping a life-list tracking all the new species they have seen. Perhaps it's not that interesting to read a list so I'll try to spice it up here and there with some pics, audio clips, or related anecdotes. In any case, this is more for my own personal gratification anyways. Try keeping a life-list of your own! It's kind of like keeping a collection and can be really fun.

Here goes.

Williamstown, MA
Seen/heard while hiking through Hopkins Forest.

Blackburnian Warbler:

American Redstart:

Ovenbird:

Stowe, VT
Seen/heard near the Trapp Family Lodge during our family's stay at a timeshare there.

Ruffed Grouse:

White-throated Sparrow:

Veery:

Killdeer (nesting next to the tennis courts!)

The killdeer gave us a quite show of its uncanny broken-wing behavior: If a suspected predator approaches the Killdeer's nest, the mother will act like it has a broken wing to lure the predator away from the eggs. An evolutionary masterpiece. From wikipedia:
"These birds will frequently use the "broken-wing act" to distract predators from their nests. This involves the bird walking away from its nesting area holding its wing in a position that simulates an injury and then flapping around on the ground emitting a distress call. The predators then think they have easy prey and are attracted to this seemingly injured bird and away from the nest. If the parent sees that a potential predator is not following them, they will move closer and get louder until they get the attention of the predator."

Princeton, NJ:

Chicken of the Woods (fungus)

Sharp-shinned Hawk

The Never-ending Chicken Mushroom

2007-06-23T09:50:00.000-07:00

This was a story I orginally posted in another forum, but it ties in well enough with the natural history theme I've got going here that I thought I'd include it:

6/21/07
This past Sunday marked a momentous occasion in Princeton's natural history. Whilst chillaxin at Adriana's house it just so happened that Laura, Jeff, and I had an unstoppable urge to venture out upon the high seas. Alas all we had at our immediate disposal was a canoe and an old backyard canal. Nevertheless, hearts full of anticipation for the adventure that lay ahead, we took to the water.

Along the journey we spotted many mythic species of flora and fauna -- the gnarled roots of elder oak trees curled over the water's edge, shy turtles dove out of sight as our shadow passed over them, and blackbirds taunted us from their perches in the overhanging canopy. And then as we rounded another bend in the mighty river, Laura alerted our gazes to the most unimaginable sight: There upon a mossy rotted log along the riverbank rested a colossal coral-colored fungus! Nearly 2 feet in diameter, this beauty was truly a work of God's artistry. At closer inspection, Laura and I both had an inkling that there was more to this fungal friend than met the eye. Indeed it had the same appearance as the delectable Chicken-of-the-Woods Mushroom that we feasted upon at camp yesteryear. We removed a small stalk for identification at the house. Convinced of our find by the online descriptions we returned to the mushroom for harvesting. The grocery bag Ellen, Laura, and I used for the foraging was bursting upon return, full with at least 8 pounds of joyous fungus! Adriana's mom swooped in to test our find, frying up spiced portions of mushroom to the whole company to enjoy. As the name implies it tastes uncannily like chicken and we had more than enough to go around.

Extremely satisfied with our discovery, our imaginations ran wild with the new culinary potential of this gift from nature's kitchen. We even featured it as a main ingredient in our tacos that night! As the days wore on at the Willsie house we found new dishes to try out our foraged food: Chicken Mushroom Manicotti, Spicy Chicken Mushroom Casserole, Chicken Mushroom for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!!! Wahoo!!!!

After the second day of nothing but chicken mushroom, it dawned on me that this food probably has no nutritional value whatsoever. And after gulping down chicken mushroom leftovers for lunch for the second time this week I began to tire of its initial charm. What's more, I was not alone in my change of heart. As Ellen agreed, what was once a magnificent feast had slowly withered into a nauseating proposition. The truth was simple: we had entirely too much chicken mushroom. Between the four of us staying at the Willsie's house, we could probably had enough mushroom for a whole month, perhaps slowly poisoning our bodies in the process. So although it's appeal didn't last forever, we still had the distinct satisfaction of foraging for our dinner. Hopefully, before long, we can all return to the wilderness from whence we came and establish ourselves as the Tribe of the Bubblonians, living off the land, and frolicking in the carefree way that only monkeys are wont to do.

Cheerfully yours,
Eddie "The Mycologist" Burgess

NEWSFLASH

2007-06-14T07:14:00.000-07:00

Time for some newsworthy fun:

This is awesome:

http://www.examiner.com/blogs/Yeas_and_Nays/2007/6/13/Antarctica-cements-act-for-Gores-Live-Earth

Sometimes Al Gore strikes me as a deranged, washed up superhero. I think he knows this too.

As is this:

http://www.thelocal.se/7650/

\m/

It's June, 2007... what are you listening to?!

2007-06-12T20:46:00.000-07:00

Now that we're nearly halfway through 2007, I thought I'd review some of the records I've purchased this year that I can't get enough of (in no particular order):

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

Hipster James Murphy balances trademark snarkery with some rather poignant tracks ("Someone Great", "All My Friends"). This album's got it all: great dance grooves, humor, emotion, and more. "North American Scum" video below:

If you're not familiar with LCD, I also highly recommend checking out their old single, "Losing My Edge" (video below) which is one of the funniest songs ever as it encapsulates the irony of rampant one-upmanship in the hipster music world.

Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

The ultimate breakup record. Self-loathing to the point of hilarity. The songs are great though!

Panda Bear - Person Pitch

Many have already described Panda Bear (the solo effort of one member in the band Animal Collective) as Brian Wilson on one of his many acid trips. Coming home from a really stressful day in the lab this semester, the ultimate therapy was putting the unshakable melody of "Take Pills" on at full blast, and then just lying on the couch and letting my mind drift away.

Battles - Mirrored

Can't say enough about their live show. Any Florida friends reading this are obligated to see them this weekend as they tour the sunshine state. This quote from the Pitchfork review sums it up nicely:
"Mirrored is a breathtaking aesthetic left-turn that sounds less like rock circa 2007 than rock circa 2097, a world where Marshall stacks and micro-processing go hand in hand."

Menomena - Friend & Foe

Great live show at Terrace. The trio successfully manages a variety of instruments, for a very fluid sound with a wonderful sense of dynamics. Can't wait to hear more stuff from these guys from Portland.

Also, some great older releases I recently discovered:
Boredoms - Vision Creation Newsun
Go-betweens - Bellavista Terrace (compilation)
Fleetwood Mac - Tusk

And there are still a bunch of new albums I want to check out if I get a chance including ones from:
Andrew Bird, Deerhunter, Elliot Smith (compilation), Trans Am, The National, Boris (2006), Jesu, Lindstrom (2006), Opeth, Ghostface Killa (2006)

And the best part is that we're only half way! Still looking forward to new stuff coming up from:
The White Stripes, T.I., Justice, Smashing Pumpkins, Spoon, New Pornographers, Kanye West, The Go! Team

The death of the naturalist

2007-06-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

Before the idyllic image of our Connecticut vacation vanishes from my mind, I have a few thoughts to share on man, nature, the state of the world and other lofty subjects.

The house in Old Lyme served as the perfect site for birdwatching. The confluence of wooded areas, fields, estuaries, and the seashore provided a mixed range of habitats and wide open territory for unobscured observation. As any naturalist would know, edges of habitats like this create the perfect vantage point for viewing wildlife. And so as we lazily strolled back to the mansion from our attempt at canoeing, I pointed out some old friends to the rest of the group: red-winged blackbird, common yellowthroat, song sparrow, and goldfinch. My friend Laura turned to Jeff and said, “Eddie is an expert at identifying birds and other stuff in nature.” Flattered, I hardly consider myself an expert but I know my bird knowledge exceeds most people’s – one of the advantages of living in a nature-obsessed family though. In fact, it’s hard for me to imagine not wanting to learn a few species in order to be familiar with my surroundings. Perhaps other people wish to know these secretes too but have never been taught or don’t know how to use a field guide. Or perhaps they are simply not interested. Either way, the truth revealed to me in Laura’s comment is all too certain – becoming a naturalist is a dying art in our generation. Our parents may not have actually been able to differentiate the fall plumage of a Pine Warbler from a Magnolia Warbler (few can!), but I’d hazard a guess they were at least familiar with the ubiquitous robin and could separate an oak from a maple. Admittedly I’m cynical about this topic, but it seems that our categorical knowledge of plant and animal species is slowly being replaced by car models and TV actors.

Earlier that morning I had the privilege of adding some new friends to my life-list (definition: a lifelist is a lifetime record kept by many birders of species they have seen in the wild). Of particular note was the Piping Plover, an endangered species of sandpiper whose fragile nests built on sand-dunes are threatened by encroaching development. Along our walk we ran into two folks working for the Nature Conservancy, protecting new nests with cages to ward off predators and humans. The duo was lamenting the loss of a nest on the far shore – the plovers scared off by a rowdy group’s recent bonfire. I was glad to see these people out there working to preserve our fragmented ecosystem, but I couldn’t shake the notion that they were all too serious about their job. Rather than being excited to see some fellow naturalists or encourage our participation in the natural world, they seemed most concerned with boosting their number of hatchlings this season. I realize they had a difficult job to do and I am once again taking a pessimistic view; but nonetheless, I think a major problem with our generation’s environmentalism is the strict sense of urgency about saving the environment combined with a waning sense of enjoyment in what we have left. In my opinion, encouraging active participation and enjoyment of nature is often the most crucial step towards saving it. People simply aren’t interested in what they don’t know. But if a few more people can become acquainted with the face of the piping plover, they just might be willing to do something about its disappearance.

PS: New music of interest has been playlisted over there on the right hand side. Also adjusted the code so you can actually use the scrollbar.

Sing-a-long magic

2007-05-31T15:52:00.000-07:00

Hearty sing-a-longs are a rare and special occasion. They only happen with the right group of people, the right instruments, and the right atmosphere. Summer camp in West Virginia has always been my primary escape for singing songs in a group. Luckily, such an atmosphere occurred over the past week when some friends of mine and I went up to Old Lyme, Connecticut to stay in an old colonial house on Long Island Sound that is owned and maintained by Ellen's family. Everyone got a chance to relax and it was the perfect way to end our college careers.

But back to the subject at hand: times like these never fail to rekindle my excitement in the undeniable intimacy and unifying power of folk music. All pretensions or preconceptions about the music are lost and all that matters is that everyone is having a grand ol' time. It requires a certain amount enthusiasm of each person and thus the sum becomes much more than its parts. And amazingly we managed to entertain ourselves for hours with just a couple of guitars and our own voices.

Events like this must have been even more magical before the advent of abundantly recorded music too. Can you imagine? Without records, CDs, mp3s or even the radio, the only way to enjoy good music was too make it yourself! I can't decide which generations are more spoiled - the ones who have all sorts of music readily available at their fingertips or the ones who had no choice but to put their heart and soul into recreating the magic of music.

Not only that, every time such a happening arises it prompts me to grab the guitar and up my axemanship. Being several months out of practice, I craved being able to remember the chord progressions I was once so familiar with. Looks like my free time for the next few weeks will be booked.

Arcade Fire @ United Palace

2007-05-06T21:27:00.001-07:00

Lisa, Ellen and I approached the United Palace, way uptown on Manhattan's 175th street, after a delicious meal at the Caribbean restaurant across the street. It immediately became clear that the Arcade Fire had gone through some trouble to select the perfect venue for their trio of New York shows. This theater had been converted from an old church and had its original ornately guilt decor intact. An stately setting, very appropriate for the bands about to play.

First we heard from The National, a band led by the former Silver Jews frontman. I recognized one song that I had recently downloaded, "Fake Empire" (featured below), off their upcoming full length album, The Boxer.

I enjoyed this song most of their set, but I'm not sure if this was due to its familiarity, or because it is actually one of the better songs from the new CD. I think the live setting hurt their performance some as the subtlety of their layered guitars got washed out in the reverb of the large auditorium. Regardless, I anticipate that the studio album is bound for critical success.

The Arcade Fire took the stage with a short B&W video clip of an evangelical preacher and glowing neon bible symbols as seen on the new album cover. Thus the show began with a characteristic snippet of the thinly veiled cultural commentary that permeates Neon Bible.

I'd heard a lot of praise of their live shows which apparently prompted an indie label bidding war several years ago before Funeral was released on Merge. The praise was evidently well warranted as they played an impressive and energetic show. Ten musicians spread out across the stage, making for a newly captivating spectacle at any moment. Frontman Win Butler, who recently had surgery for a throat infection, successfully struggled through vocals on the songs, adding to their passion and urgency. His wife Regina, showcased her musicianship on virtually every instrument available to them: vox, drums, violin, keyboard, hurdy-gurdy, pipe-organ and more. It almost seemed as if the band was playing musical chairs with the large assortment of instruments scattered about the stage left over from a previous performance. This notion was solidified when two other band members clambered over each other for an array of loose drums scatter across the stage during "Neighborhood #2: Laika."

Their set-list (including double encore) contained every song from Neon Bible except (thankfully) "My Body Is A Cage." And they also played about half of Funeral (though "Wake Up" was conspicuously absent). A wonderfully long set -- I couldn't have been much more satisfied with their performance throughout. These guys have really come into their own in my opinion, as demonstrated by an emphatic and well-rehearsed show. Though their sophomore effort never would have lived up to the colossal expectations of their transcendent debut (Funeral), it was still a solid effort that any band could be proud of.

AWK @ First Unitarian Church Philly: PARTY FOR LIFE: Total Lovefest

2007-05-01T21:29:00.000-07:00

Like many old churches in urban areas, the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia's architechture sharply contrasts the rectangular backdrop of its city environs. Unlike many old churches, however, this one had a line of people stretching down the block composed of a motlier group than the staff of Hot Topic. The clientele was complete with large-guage piercings, dredlocks, and even a trio of Dragonforce shirts. Had satan risen to power and overtaken America's holy places? No, it was simply the crowd gathering to witness our friend Andrew W.K. deliver a speaking engagement entitled "Party for Life: Total Love and Happiness." Ellen and I found our place in the fully occupied pews and anticipated what was about to traspire in this grand (and extraordinarly appropriate) setting.

After a few eternities and some preemptive cheering, Andrew W.K. emerged, grinned widely at the audience, and took his place at the grand piano beneath the pulpit. He proceeded to play epic classical piano with such intensity and ferocity it would have made Wagner roll in his grave -- all the while inspiring hushed appreciation from the unlikeliest of audiences.

W.K. then leapt up from the piano bench and gesticulated wildly as he is often does in his peformances. However the lack of the usual guitar anthem in the background made it utterly more intense. I sort of wonder if he has maybe lost it a little; at one point in the talk he jerked back from the lectern looking confused, swirled around and picked up a huge table behind him, then began to stagger around the stage wielding the large piece of furniture like a madman. Soon after he regained his composure, though, he jumped right back into the lecture as if nothing had happened.

Whether crazy or uncontrollably exuberant, Andrew W.K. still managed to provide a very inspiring message, that was heavily philosophical, even spiritual, and drew the audience together in a profound collective experience, a "happening" as he described it. The basic theme of the night was LOVE: spreading the idea of love to others and latching onto what makes you feel good and hopfeul instead of what makes you feel angry, jealous, or hateful. Though sometimes vague about the practicalities of this ideal in the real world, I thought his message was very universal in its approach and resonated well with his audience. For many of these people it was exactly what they needed to hear. This was proven by the long QandA session after his short talk in which many troubled individuals from the audience sought his counsel for advice. Many were challenged by everyday struggles in their lives, but Andrew showed them a new, optimistic approach to the problems they had been having and in some cases I think really inspired hope in the individuals. Most of the questioners even shared hugs with Andrew after his response.

My favorite moment of the night was when one guy took the mic and recalled an email response to a question he posed to AWK several years ago. Andrew even remember this encounter in which the guy asked for advice as he found himself unhappy and unsatisfied in his new college setting, feeling lonely with nobody to turn to while other kids were having a great time partying with friends. AWK's response to this query was: "It only takes 1 person to party." If you're anything like me, that statement is simultaneously: ridiculous, hilarious, encouraging, and insightful. AWK then expounded on this previous wisdom by explaining how it is so much more intense to party by yourself because you have to be self-aware that nobody else is there with you.

Overall it was really neat to see Andrew W.K. in this unique setting. I think he has a lot of potential to serve as a role model and reach out to people who don't normally have much guidance or help from society. I have no doubt he will keep the party going in all meanings of the word.

Here's another account of the evening's events

Recent Accomplishments: Thesis + Apartment

2007-04-30T21:22:00.000-07:00

Greetings! I now return victoriously from my hiatus to bring you several new and interesting posts that have been percolating during my abscence from the blogosphere. To kick things off right, I thought I'd just share what I've been up to for the last year or so:

http://www.princeton.edu/~eburgess/EdwardBurgessThesis.pdf

Still hard to believe I finished that beast. It didn't really turn out how we hoped but then again science rarely does. Regardless, we discovered some interesting things and there is always more work to be done. Here's a little recap:

-Greenland plays a major role in climate change. If it melted, sea level could rise 7 meters.
-Understanding how the Greenland Ice Sheet formed will give us a better idea of how it interacts with global climate and how it might change with future global warming
-We tried to use argon dating on ice from the bottom of the Greenland Ice Sheet to pinpoint its buildup, but the ages we measured were from the future.
-The error was probably due to argon contamination from the earth's crust below
-We still founds lots of other interesting properties in the ice but I wont bore you with them here. Read the thesis if you want to know.

Fun fact to tell your friends: there are microorganisms that have survived over 250,000 years 3 kilometers under the ice in Greenland.

In other recent news, I scored an apartment in NYC for next with on of my best friends Santosh and his current NYU roommate Anand who is a really awesome dude. So psyched! Come check us out: 212 E. 10th St., Apt. 3B (off 2nd Ave). Now I just have to figure out how I'm going to afford it. Hard to believe I'll soon be living life in the Big Apple.

BATTLES @ Princeton

2007-04-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

Whilst staggering through a typical night of thesis-crunchtime caffeinated haze, I managed to find myself at Princeton's own Terrace F. Club on a certain Thursday night. After putting in long hours in the lab I needed a break. And what to my wondrous ears should appear? Twas BATTLES, who mission to rock was clear.

BATTLES are a band from New York who play very technically challenging instrumental music, in a style often dubbed "math rock." I'd caught wind of them not too long ago due to some high praise blog posts anticipating their debut album on May 22nd. Even though this will their first proper album, the band has generated a lot of buzz from their three EPs over the last 4 years and an intense live show which I can attest is a marvelous display of musical prowess.

Front and center was the drumkit. At the helm was an awkwardly out of place 50 year old dude who was apparantly the former drummer for Helmet. I only ever remember hearing one Helmet song ("Unsung") from back in my high school, grunge-obsessed, 98 Rock days. I remember it coming on the radio only rarely and late at night, as if it was one of those songs the DJ actually wanted to play, but 2am was the only time he could avoid the usual crap he was forced to play. Even now, that song still rocks, in no small part on account of the drums. And damn, that old dude could drum! The best thing was that his crash cymbal was on this really tall stand, like 10 feet up, so he had to reach up really high every time he hit it. It's little touches like this that really made the band's performance interesting. Automatically, you could understand their inventiveness, and it did not come at the expense of their music.

Flanking the drums were two guys at keyboard/laptop stations - one sported a big fro. These guys demonstrated the highly technologic aspect of the band. Each had an elaborate setup of mixers, loopers, vocoders, and digital mystery boxes to go along with their laptop/keyboard setups. Even more impressive was that they both picked up the axe from time to time and played guitar and keyboard simultaneously while adjusting the other gizmos at their disposal. In the back was the guitarist/bassist who spent the majority of time perfecting the sounds of the band member on the slew of analog dials on their amplifiers.

Despite all this talk of technical and robotic sounding rhythms the band really gels together creating tight grooves that chug along like a well-oiled machine. My friend Keith said it best as he came up to me during the ominous bass synth of their wicked single "Atlas": "Man these dudes are fucking heavy!" True to his words their sound is really thick and foreboding, but it is also fun as revealed by the vocal textures on the same song. And you could definitely tell these guys were having fun playing this stuff. Watch out for BATTLES! On May 22nd Mirrored will be out!

Blog's on hiatus...

2007-04-22T20:57:00.000-07:00

Until thesis is done. Don't worry, will be back soon. (As if anyone actually reads)

Pop Culture Disconnect

2007-04-16T18:31:00.000-07:00

So maybe other college friends feel similarly but I have a grave sense of disconnect from popular culture and the day to day of the outside world while nestled safely within this university bubble. It really hits home on days like today when the entire state of New Jersey declares an emergency and you don't even know it.

Other times, it is occasion to rejoice when you somehow manage to stumble upon some tidbit that is no doubt on the minds of every high schooler in this country who is tapped into the usual networks of disseminating useless information:

For those whose disconnection has precluded them from the original version:

Us vs. Them: Why you hatin' on big oil?

2007-04-14T11:39:00.000-07:00

Ellen brought up some very good points today after visiting the climate change rally here on campus. I am fully supportive of their cause and I think it's great that people are getting really active on this issue, but a few things gave me pause about the approach.

One of the speakers spoke very critically about the oil industries' lack of effort to combat climate change. He claimed that they don't really get it and are purposefully moving slowly on reducing fossil fuel use. However, I hesitate to think this is an issue the oil industries don't care about or aren't thinking about. Rather, solving climate change is an enormous challenge and in all likelihood the oil companies simply haven't managed to come up good solution that wont put them out of business. It seems silly to boil this down to a simple us vs. them, because in reality we are all in this together. Climate change affects everybody and instead of fighting each other and pointing fingers at "the enemy" we should be working together towards a solution. This is a common cause for humanity and there are no easy solutions and no clear culprits. After all, everyone depends on oil to a large extent and we shouldn't hasten to criticize its producers. Furthermore, I think it just makes big oil less willing to cooperate with environmentalists if they are constantly being blamed for inaction.

Some of the display booths had what I thought to be some very unhelpful information as well. One in particular showed different energy sources in two columns: GOOD and BAD. The good included: wind (a no-brainer), hydroelectric, and hybrid cars. The bad column included: SUVs, nuclear power, and coal (probably the worst culprit IMHO). This concerned me because I don't necessarily think of nuclear as being a "bad" energy technology. Surely it is no perfect solution and is held back by concerns over waste, proliferation, and fear of disaster. But in terms of climate change it is perhaps the best choice (zero CO2 emissions). Furthermore, wind and hydro have major drawbacks as well. Wind is scarce and intermittent and hydro is very environmentally hazardous for other reasons. In a broad sense I think it is mistaken to categorize any energy source as "good" or "bad" because in reality each has its benefits and drawbacks. We have to think harder about what solutions to use since there is simply no magic bullet or "good" technology that will fix all our problems. Undoubtedly any progress made will involve a variety of technolgies and approaches to cutting carbon emissions.

Regardless of all these issues, I think overall it is good to see people raising this issue and getting involved. Recent support from the business world, the supreme court decision, Al Gore's movie, and increased general awareness is really pulling climate change to the forefront of national politics as should have happened years ago.

On a hilarious note, I snagged a Gore 2008 button from one of the booths trying to get him to run for president. I can't imagine he would actually run. But would you vote for him if he did?

Not so serious post

2007-04-13T12:26:00.000-07:00

Ok, enough serious talk, time for some fun:

<----- Rock's oldest living dinosaur, Keith Richards, said in a hilarious interview with NME last week that he snorted the ashes of his father just for kicks. Regardless of whether he did or not, the interview is worth checking out for a good laugh.

Also, thanks to V for pointing out the thoughtful article below. As an amateur birder, I too feel personally slighted by this shocking oversight in the new Sibley.

The Sibley Guide To Birds Has Clearly Misidentified The Dark-Eyed Junco

I don't understand it. How could it have happened a third time? They've had two opportunities to correct it. But there it is, once again. The...

Also, I am now 100% addicted to Fleetwood Mac. I hadn't given them much attention before last week but am now realizing their instantly recognizable songs have long ago been implanted in my subconcious. This may be major mom music, but that's why it is so good. Who can't like this stuff? No wonder they are one of the best selling artists of all time. Check it out:

Navigating Post-Kyoto Climate Controls w/ Jeffrey Sachs

2007-04-12T17:28:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I went to a terrific lecture given by world renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs. He is currently director of the Earth Institute at Columbia and is well known for his bestselling book: The End of Poverty, which argues that extreme poverty can be eradicated by 2025.

The title of his lecture was: Negotiating the Post-Kyoto Climate Change Framework -- a very appropriate subject since this issue is so closely tied to the global economy and the future of world poverty. Sachs was a very charismatic speaker and really reinvigorated my optimism about solving the problem of global climate change.

He began by drawing analogies between climate change the political stages of another global environmental issue: depletion of stratospheric ozone by CFCs during the 70s and 80s. The evolution of this problem, and its eventual solution, occured in several stages that are similar to the current situation with climate change and provides a model to follow:

Political stages of ozone depletion:

1. Scientists discover by chance that CFCs, hailed as a safe and useful refrigerant, are destroying ozone in the atmosphere that protects us from skin cancer.

2. Some political interest in addressing this issue is achieved, but it is largely blocked by industry opposition (chiefly Dupont - largest CFC manufacturer). Vienna convention adopted with the international goal of tackling the CFC issue but the agreement lacks real teeth -- i. e. no binding requirements.

3. NASA releases picture of earth with ozone hole over Antarctica -- this pivotal image alone led to public understanding the magnitude and urgency of the problem. Meanwhile Dupont invents an alternative to CFCs and gives the nod to politicians that industries can cope with this issue. Montreal protocol is enacted and begins a concrete timetable for phasing out CFCs, though still has a small impact

4. London ammendments build upon the Montreal Protocol and lead to consequential reduction in CFC concentrations. For the first time, the world succeeds in coming to a global solution to a challenging environmental issue.

I was happy to hear Sachs this analogy since it is one I have often referred to myself in describing the political challenges of confronting climate change. He acknowledged however that the climate issue is vastly more complicated and is on a much larger scale than ozone.

How does this model play out for climate?

1. First scientest discover in the 70s and 80s that greenhouse gases are

2. Political is garnered and in 1992, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted, which was ratified by the US, legally obligating them to tackle the climate issue. Still, the UNFCCC had no real binding restrictions and thus has no real power in mitigating climate change. Much opposition and skepticism remains.

3. Science is validated and methodically communicated through the IPCC. Like the NASA image, the event that has really solidified public support for the climate issue (regardless of actual attribution) was Hurricane Katrina. Like the Montreal Protocol, the Kyoto Protocol was an important step in galvanizing efforts to address the climate issue, but really bears no weight in creating a quantitative reduction of carbon emissions. Indeed it was merely intended as a stepping stone for more effective protocols down the road. In 2012, Kyoto expires and (hopefully) a new, up-to-date Protocol will be enacted. Given the time needed for countries to agree upon and ratify such a treaty, the negotiations really need to start ASAP and will commence this winter. Realistically though the U.S. has its hands tied for moving on this issue until 2009 -- the end of the current administration which will keep our country from ratifying any climate treaty (as they have done with Kyoto).

One key point Sachs emphasized and that is worth repeating is that lots of businesses are rallying for the U.S. to instate a tangible climate policy. This is not a sudden moral epiphany they have come to, but rather, they are beginning to realize that it is an issue they can deal with. Much like Dupont realized after developing the CFC alternative, energy companies are beginning R&D of technologies that make carbon reduction possible. Furthermore, for many large companies already see this as a fixed cost since carbon restrictions and trading schemes are already in place in European markets. Thus a uniform policy would be better for them to have a common standard to work with. Additionally, since regulation in the U.S. seems certain at some point down the road (especially on the heels of the recent supreme court decision), business are pushing for it to happen quickly so they can gain some business certainty about how to make future investments. As Sachs said, "the business community is way ahead of the politicians right now, and they're pulling the politicians to an agreement."

4? What is in store for the future:

Sachs predicted that upcoming climate negotiations will establish a post-Kyoto treaty with a global standard for carbon emissions that will be binding for all nations -- not the current split between the developing and industrialized world as is the case with Kyoto. Even China (soon to be the biggest CO2 contributer) has expressed interest in dealing with climate change. China and India are anxious to be on the cutting edge of new technologies, and want to work with companies like GE to develop prototypes for new carbon capture/storage or more efficient combined cycle coal plants. Sachs made it clear that without this sort of multilateral agreement (esp. with China's growth) no mitigation strategy would be feasible. To accommodate this strategy should be some kind of fund for international aid to help developing countries address this issue.

One pivotal point Sachs introduced is that economists estimate that the cost for mitigating emissions to a doubling of pre-industrial CO2 will likely cost less than 1% of world income. Though not insignificant (~$500 billion), 1% does seems like an accomplishable goal. Especially considering the fact that nobody has done a comprehensive economic study of the costs for consequences that could dislocate large populations (e.g. melting of Himalayan glaciers that feed vital rivers in India/China). Already we are seeing the effects of climate change on drought in areas like the Sahel and Darfur in Africa. Global policies are still largely made concerning the interests of the wealthy countries, but Hurricane Katrina may have served as a wake up call that the costs are real and no-one is invulverable to climate change.

Many mechanisms are available for a global accord on carbon reduction. One could envision market based strategies such as the current European permit trading scheme, or a tax credit system, or simply a set standard. Since many groups with competing interests will be vying for different strategies, the likely outcome is that we will have a mixed bag of solutions. Although ideally we would have a clear-cut, axiomatic mitigation strategy, the solution will undoubtedly be messy, and variable between regions and industries. Maintaining equity on a broad spectrum with so many players involved will be a challenging goal but should not keep us from coming to quick resolution.

Although maybe appearing uneconomic on the surface, Sachs was very keen on promoting a system of standards, with clear global targets for specific industries (e.g. power generation - especially coal, transport fleets, steel & cement, deforestation). While many have been optimistic about strategies like renewable energy being solely able to replace fossil fuel dependence, this prospect seems "almost unimaginable" at this point and our strategy should undoubtedly promote new fossil fuel technologies like carbon capture and storage.

Lastly, Sachs acknowledged that we are committed to a certain amount of climate change from emissions already released, . Given this, a part of the international agreement should also entail some strategies for adaptation to the inevitable changes that are coming -- particularly for the poor who will be most affected by it.

My friend Owen reported on this lecture in the Daily Princetonian:
http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2007/04/13/news/18077.shtml

Menomena @ Princeton

2007-04-11T14:10:00.000-07:00

I'm a big fan of Pitchfork Media. Go ahead and heckle if you like; depending on which side of the fence you are on you might find the site to be either too obscure and inaccessible or just fanboys of the current scene.

But to me the site's a great resource for finding out about new music. If you haven't noticed, a lot of the stuff I like has been featured on their website. Sometimes I worry that my own judgements simply just reflective of theirs, but I really do try to reevaluate things for myself. Case in point, I'm just not a huge fan of Deerhoof. As creative as they are, that singer's voice just really bothers me. But in the end, I think the creators of the site have a great understanding of music and tastes that often matche mine, even if they are a bit snooty from time to time.

One band they turned me onto a few weeks ago was Menomena. On a whim I decided to get their album partly because of this review and partly because of the neat cover art. Upon first listen I wasn't tremendously excited. The music was good, but not overwhelmingly. But over the next couple of days I realized I had all these new songs stuck in my head and I realized they were Menomena songs. On rare and special occasions bands like this crop up: on first impression you don't really know why you like the songs, but for some reason it sticks with you and then over time it just digs under your skin until you can't stop listening.

Better yet, just as I was getting into them I found out they were coming to play here at Princeton! It was a great show even if they did get irritated at the drunks. The best part was when the singer made note of the cramped Terrace venue by asking the person standing right in front of him "Isn't it awkward when we make eye contact since we're only two feet apart?"

I should also mention that the opening band, Land of Talk really rocked too. One of the best female rock singers I've heard in a long time. I picked up their CD at the show and it's great! The songs are all a little similar, but they are all well written.

Sea Ice

2007-04-10T22:53:00.000-07:00

On Monday I went to an interesting lecture in the Princeton Geosciences department by someone studying sea ice. Sea ice is really important for the global climate change. Look how it waxes and wanes each year with the seasons in the picture below. Sea ice also plays a major role in reflecting incoming sunlight that would otherwise warm the oceans.

(Source: National Snow and Ice Data Center)

One important climate warming feedback scenario is created by the melting of sea ice. More melting of sea ice leads to less sunlight reflected leads to more heat absorbed by arctic oceans leads to more ice melting.

I learned a lot during the talk. It turns out that sea ice actually doesn't melt per se, but it is dissolved by the influx of salty water. And there are lots of really interesting and complex interactions between the temperature of the ocean and the ice, especially when the ice gets thin. In short, we could be in for some major unpleasant surprises from future anthropogenic warming since the ice doesn't simply "melt" and "refreeze" as one might expect. There's a distinct possibility that we could reach a point of no return where extensive sea ice simply can't be regenerated.

The most astounding aspect of the speaker's talk was the fact that we still are so clueless about the basic properties of something as simple and ubiquitous as ice. Science still has so much to learn about our own planet!

Just couldn't resist this one: (Thanks iTunes search function!)

Best Music of 2006

2007-04-10T00:21:00.000-07:00

Even though it's already April, I thought I'd share the list I made a while back of my favorite 10 albums from 2006. I've updated the list a little after hearing new stuff since I made it.

10. Cat Power - The Greatest

A very personal, and painfully beautiful record proving that Chan Marshall is a singer-songwriter of the finest caliber.

9. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds

JT was and is still the man.

8. T.I. - King

What You Know was pretty much the rap anthem of the year. What more needs to be said?

7. Girl Talk - Night Ripper

Favorite moment: "Laffy Taffy" over a sped up electronic beat seguing into Weezer's "Say It Ain't So" guitar solo. Or is it the "Tiny Dancer" piano riff backing up Biggy on "Juicy"? Or is it Fleetwood Mac's "Little Lies" trading off with 69 Boyz "Tootsie Roll"? Too much to like here.

6. Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury

Clipse's Pusha-T and Malice have got to be 2 of the most lyrically bad-ass rappers in the game. Not to mention, great production work by the Neptunes makes this an obvious choice.

5. Mastodon - Blood Mountain

Proceed with caution. This album will destroy you! \m/!

4. Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit

Spending a semester in England earlier this year, this record was the perfect soundtrack for driving through the sunny, pastoral countryside of the Yorkshire Dales. Bright, cheery, from the UK, and highly addictive.

3. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America

I don't know how I missed this one, but damn! This is the first time in a long time that I've a heard some decent straight up, down-to-earth, rock n roll! Not just in the rockin guitar/piano riffage, but Craig Finn's lyrics are an astoundingly accurate depiction of our generation's youth culture.

2. Grizzly Bear - Yellow House

This album has a tremendous amount of detail, each song a perfect composition in its own right. Ed Droste has created some of the most haunting melodies that sound simultaneously distant yet familiar, soothing yet troubling, tangible yet ethereal.

1. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain

Agreeing with the critical consensus on this one, what really makes Cookie Mountain superb is its fascinating production work. Layers of sound make it feel like being enveloped in dark and ominous cloud where you can't always make out the shapes, but you have an overwhelming sense of texture, rhythm, and feeling. The amorphous quality of the songs makes them unendingly relistenable since new things are discovered each time. Not to mention, the core of these great songs rests on great sung melodies.

Honorable Mentions:
Hot Chip - The Warning
Bob Dylan - Modern Times
Herbert - Scale
Ratatat - Classics
Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass

I might add that 2007 is already off to a great start. Ive been absolutely addicted to excellent releases from Of Montreal and LCD Soundsystem. Menomena and the Shins also make early contenders for this year's list.

Girl Talk @ Princeton

2007-04-09T22:51:00.000-07:00

Wow! Something I never would have expected happened last Saturday.

For the past couple of months I've been rocking Girl Talk's latest effort Night Ripper pretty hard. For the uninitiated Girl Talk (aka Gregg Gillis - a biomedical engineer from Pittsburg), is a DJ who takes euphoric moments of already well known songs (e.g. from Notorious B.I.G., Elton John, 50 cent, the Pixies, Smashing Pumpkins, Ludacris, Fleetwood Mac, Weezer, Nirvana, just to name a few) and mashes them up into 1 awesome track of ultimate party.

Well, then I heard he was coming to my very own Terrace club here at Princeton! What a crazy show! It was packed beyond belief, making it uncomfortable at times, but that only added to the energy.

Highlights:
-Kicking things off with "Throw Some D's" on that Bitch!!!
-Justin Timberlake "My Love" matched with the bassline from Nirvana's "Lithium"
-Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down" with some booty rap song about getting pussy
-Flute solo from Toto's "Africa"
-Chugging a pitcher of beer before the entire audience:

I highly recommend you check this guy out. Night Ripper is hand's down the best party soundtrack I've ever heard. One of my favorite Girl Talk tracks (though not on the album) is this one:

It mashes Clipse's "Wamp Wamp (What it do)" with Grizzly Bear's "The Knife. " So freakin awesome! Grizzly Bear's Yellow House, which featured "The Knife" was one of my favorite albums of last year (#2!). And, mostly because of this Girl Talk song, I recently got into Clipse's Hell Hath No Fury, which has been getting a lot of critical attention lately . They are amazing! One of the best hip-hop groups out there for sure.

First Post!

2007-04-07T11:41:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Hurricane Eddie's Never-Ending Math Equation

Howdy folks. After a few years as a casual observer of online media I've decided to join the fracas and establish my own presence here on the ol' internets. And now that I'm moving to the Big Apple, what more chic way to spend my time than by submitting my own disenchanted comments about the state of the world? Right?

OK time for the basic lowdown. My main interests as it pertains to this blog are (in no order):
1-Music
2-Science
3-Juggling

1. Music
I am an avid consumer and appreciater of music. My girlfriend calls me a music snob and she is right. Not only do I like listening, but I also like to keep tabs on current trends in new music, frequently exposing myself to new artists, and learning about musical history/influences. Thus, the main purpose of this blog, as I envision it, is to be an outlet for sharing my musings about any music I've been listening to lately and maybe (if I'm lucky) to generate some discussion on the subject.

I'm not going to make any forced attempts to keep up with the breakneck pace of the music blog world. I'll keep my own pace, taking in new music as I am able, even if my own posts are too outdated for the majority of scenesters. I'm not sure how anyone has enough time to properly invest in every piece of new music anyways. I guess I'm mainly interested in determining lasting value - forming opinions only after repeated listens to a song/album. After all, isn't the point of life to attain nirvana via the perfect record collection (read: iTunes music library)? It's certainly not about sifting through the recycle bin of current trends.

Also, I will try to avoid annoying jargon, and obscure references without explaining them. A lot of blogs out there are rather insular and have a steep learning curve unless your already tapped into that particular scene. Instead, I'll make every effort for this to be the people's music blog. I'm not here to appease snarky hipsters. Though I do fancy myself some good snark and try to maintain some sliver of hipster street cred from time to time.

Anyways, my main hope is merely to extend the musical catolog of friends, family and any stray passersby. After many failed attempts, I've come to the realization that you can't suddenly turn someone on to a new recording artist. It is a slow process that can only build upon expierences of one's previous listening history. Some people get frustrated that certain artists don't get the attention they deserve, or think that the public would surely like them if they did get attention. I used to get mad at people not appreciating what I considered great music, but that is foolish since not only do people's preferences vary, but so do their personal experiences and openness to new styles of music. So for now I guess I have no problem if you want to listen to Nickelback all day. That certainly wouldn't be my choice but then again, it's not my business to tell people what to like. Meanwhile, I encourage you to give something mentioned here a whirl and you could be pleasantly surprised.

2. Science

To quote Bill Nye, "Science Rules." I put a chart of major science discoveries up on the bathroom wall next to the toilet and it has kept my roommates and I entertained for the whole year.

More importantly science is the crucial link for our understanding of the natural world. One issue in particular that I care deeply about is global climate change and the science behind understanding how man is impacting the complex earth system.

3. Juggling
Well, OK I really don't intend to blog about this, but it is fun to do. My current goal is to juggle 5 balls by this summer.

So, keeping in line with the title:
New Blog = (Music)*x + (Science)*y + (Other fun stuff)

BTW the title (which I may change if I think of something better), was snagged from a pretty excellent Modest Mouse song by the same name off of their old B-sides collection, Building Nothing Out of Something. I picked it because MM were one of the first college rock*(see below) bands I really got into. Senior year of high school I listened to Lonesome Crowded West and The Moon and Antarctica pretty much non-stop. I realize MM has been getting lots of attention lately from their new album We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank which debuted top of the Billboard charts and features Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr. I got the new disc last week but the jury is still out on it. First impressions: I don't think it measures up to LCW or M&A, but still has a few solid tracks like "Fire It Up" and the new single "Dashboard." James Mercer (from the Shins) has a harmony on "Florida" that is pretty catchy too. If anyone likes their recent stuff, I highly recommend those older CDs. They had a pretty different style back then, a lot rougher around the edges which is both good and bad, but the melodies and lyrics were top notch.

Woo! Check out the embedded song! Am I blogger pro or what?! Let's try another:

*I just decided to start a personal campaign to revert all references to "indie rock" back to "college rock" a much more appropriate genre label IMHO.