The power of punctuation
As an editor-type person, I have a fondness for punctuation. I just came across this example of how punctuation can completely change the meaning of a phrase:

1. A woman, without her man, is nothing.
2. A woman: without her, man is nothing

That's all.

Remembering Poe
I love this story. For the past 57 years, a mystery mourner has left roses and abottle of cognac on the grave of Edgar Allan Poe to mark his January 19th birthday. This year was no exception. I love cool things like this...

Does the Pope like acrobats?
I don't know why, perhaps lack of caffeine, but this photo struck me as being highly surreal. The caption from the BBC website where I found this reads: Pope Benedict XVI watches Italian circus artists perform during his weekly general audience at the Vatican.

I always thought "an audience with the Pope" meant that you got to see the Pope....not that the Pope was the audience and you had to entertain him.

Forget Columbus Day!
We may have to start celebrating Zheng He Day. A 1763 Chinese map that claims to be a copy of an original map drawn in 1418 shows Africa and the Americas. Although the story is controversial, it's been a long-held belief that Chinese mariners did, in fact, sail to America long before that upstart Columbus.

Kipling speaks!
And so does Tennyson, Yeats, and Langston Hughes. Plus dozens of contemporary English-language poets. It's the Poetry Archive and, best of all, you can listen for free!

Ironic...and sick
There's always at least one headline on CNN.com that makes me go "huh." Today's stumper is Mummified body found in front of TV which in itself sounds like an ironically fitting commentary on American society.

Apparently this woman died over two years ago, and left instructions that she didn't want to be buried. However, in the third paragraph is a link to a video which I cannot bring myself to follow. It seems that this woman had a caretaker, and CNN urges us to "watch why the caregiver thought body parts grew back." To which I can only say "no, I do not wish to watch why this woman's caregiver thought body parts grew back."

I'm sure the explanation is twistedly fascinating, but I also have no desire to find out just exactly why someone would think this.

It's a weird world.

Another case of "who the f**k?"
On CNN.com is this earth-shattering headline Scott Stapp announces engagement. Oh good. Who the hell is he and why should we care. Is this a plea for fondue sets? Will CNN also publish the couple's "save the date" cards?

Why, oh why has the American media made it its goal to publicize every tiny detail of every pitiful life of every no-talent hack in the world?

Book Report: The Barbary Plague

It's easy to think of the Bubonic Plague as a medieval affliction only, but it's still around. Cases are reported every year in many countries around the world, including the US. Thankfully, most outbreaks are isolated, and nothing like the what was experienced in San Francisco in the first years of the 20th century.

Starting in 1900 with an outbreak in Chinatown that terrified and terrorized the inhabitants, and reaching its height in the aftermath of the great earthquake and fire or 1906, the Plague was a major threat to public health in the city by the bay.

In The Barbary Plague: The Black Death in Victorian San Francisco,author Marilyn Chase details the history of the outbreak in SF, shows how political in-fighting and back-room shenanigans almost derailed the efforts to protect the city, and explores the lives of those who risked their own health to help protect others.

It's a well-researched and well-written book, which should be a good read for those with an interest in the history of SF, the history of medicine, or looking for examples of how public policy was formed. It's especially intriguing for the glimpse at the racism the Chinese of San Francisco faced in the new century.

I found many of the individuals in the book to be fascinating, including Joseph Kinyoun, a doctor whose lack of political tact led to his being nearly railroaded out of the city, in spite of the fact he was sincere in his efforts to stop the spread of the disease. Another compelling character, about whom I'd like to know more, is "Boss" Abe Reuf, one of those larger-than-life types that make early San Francisco history read like something from a Preston Sturgis film. After placing a hand-picked candidate in as mayor, and accepting payoffs from nearly everyone in town, he was eventually indicted on something like 65 counts of taking bribes.

Who the F**K is Ryan Seacrest???

Ok, I know I'm so far out of touch with popular culture that I couldn't reach it with a map and a dead albatross, but could somebody please tell me who the hell Ryan Seacrest is and why he's famous?

As far as I can tell, he's famous for being famous.

He's not an actor. Or a singer. I think he may "host" a reality TV show or something. He may also do the odd celebrity interview before major awards shows, or something equally useless. But really...why?

He's not attractive, his...well, sort of moist and doghy. He's entirely artificial (Ryan Seacrest? Yeah, that's your real name.), completely without charisma as far as I can tell, and all-around a bad idea.

Does anybody remember when you had to actually be well-known to be a "star?" I find it hilarious how I'll pick up a People magazine at the hairdressers and flip through pages of people I've never heard of, under headlines like "Superstar Prisccilla Pointless Bares it All at Cannes!" Ooh....goodie. Who is that? And why does her nose look like it fell off and was stuck back on with Superglue?

In today's disposible culture of fame, apparently it takes nothing more than having 3 out of 5 people think you're attractive in order to become a celebrity.

Which still doesn't explain who the hell Ryan Seacrest is and why we should care.

Attack of the J-Pop
And speaking of KZSU...

Last night, being the first Tuesday of the month, I was joined on my show by DJ Cho-beri-ba for another edition of "Tokyo Radio Tsumami." As usual, I played an hour of new world music (that's music that is both new and world...not "new world" music which sounds all "oh, we have found the new world"-ish). Then we (Ok, he) played 2-hours of hyper-caffeinated Japanese pop music from artists such as Porno Graffiti, B'z, and the ever-bubbly Morning Masume.

During the evening we spoke a bit about the Red & White Singing Festival (see below), and found that, once again, our tastes are completely different. While I was screaming in hilarity over the surreality of artists such as Gorie and whoever it was who had dancing Darth Vaders and Stormtroopers as part of their act, he was hitting the fast-forward button in order to watch his favorite artists actually sing.

Honestly, some people just don't get it.

Broaden your musical horizons in 2006
Entertainment Weekly, that bible for the "tell me what to think" crowd has released its dull and pointless list of the best music of 2005. No offense to list-sitters Fiona Apple, Kanye West and others, but I would like to suggest that if you aren't already musically adventurous, that you strike out some new territory for a new year.

I don't really want to make a list of the best, because there were so many amazing releases in 2005...nor do I claim that my suggestions are better than EW's....just a bit more interesting because so few people know about them.

Some of my highlights for the year:

Up and Down by the Palm Wine Boys. This SF Bay Area-based band released a quiet, fun little album that quickly became one of my favorites of the year. It's melodic folk/pop/West African Palm Wine music that cannot help but improve your mood. Honest. Trust me.

Chavez Ravine by Ry Cooder. This concept album about the destruction of a Latino neighborhood to make way for LA's Dodger Stadium is a musical buffet. A wide variety of musical styles, all of them played with flair and panache, make for a truly varied and engaging listen.

Celtic Crossroads, yet another wonderful Putumayo compilation. This one features glorious vocal harmonies, tight playing, and a sweet and captivating selection of music. And speaking of compilations...

Swing Around the World, also from Putumayo, is a fun, funky, hip-shaking, grin-inducing gas. You'll smile, you'll dance around the kitchen, you'll have a fine old time. Truly one of the most joyful, playful releases in ages.

Prototyp by Hurdy-Gurdy. Two members of Nordic superbands Garmarna and Hedningarna team up for a crazy, delicious, original selection of instrumental songs all created by morphing sounds of hurdy-gurdies into a sort of ancient/modern synth mix. Too hard to describe, just listen.

I know, that's only five...but I have work to do.

P-E-C-O-R-I Night!
So how was your New Year's Eve?

One of the traditions Forrest and I have for that evening is our annual viewing of the NHK Red & White Singing Festival, courtesy of KTSF in San Francisco. It's a 56-year old festival that is, apparently, the most watched annual TV event in Japan and it is truly, truly odd.

Teams of male (the white team) performers alternate with female (the red team) to perform everything from hyper-caffeinated J-pop to tear-wrangling ballads....and everything in between. The costuming and set designs are (you must read this with a hugely affected drag queen accent) faaabulous! Dancing cartoon characters. Women in break-away dresses. The Japanese Simon & Garfunkel on acoustic folk, followed by hoards of 13-year old look-alike girls with cheesy Dance Fever choreography.

This year's highlight, though, had to be Gorie, a female impersonator (competing for the women's team) dressed like a cheerleader, surrounded by blinding dozens of other cheerleaders, and go-teaming his/her way through a Japanese version of that epic 70s classic Saturday Night. (Remember the Bay City Rollers?) This version (called Pecori Night) was a veritable feast for the senses and only slightly terrifying. Gorie (that's the famous Gorie, above) was on the losing team, but did bring me nearly to tears with laughter.

Happy new year, everyone. May 2006 be as surreal as a Gorie cheer.

Pet Peeves #247
"Not available in all areas." Hey, marketing folks, when you put that ridiculous disclaimer at the end of ads for your new product, what you are really saying is "this product is not available..in any area." What you mean to say is "not available in some areas." Learn the difference, people.

Land Rovers. Why, oh why, in the name of humanity does anyone in the Bay Area need a Land Rover? OK, maybe if you live in the Santa Cruz mountains and it floods a lot in the winter -- but come on, folks...you commute on 280 from San Francisco to Cupertino and you need a Land Rover? And why would anyone buy them anyway, they all seem to be defective...not one of them seems to have working turn signals.

The Little Drummer Boy. Worst Christmas carol ever written. All those endless "rum-pah-pah-pums." Good lord, it's enough to make the "dreidel" song look like Rock Around the Clock.

Halelujah!
Do you know the Fairfield Four? Being a thorough pagan, I am completely non-religious, but this is the most wonderful, most spirtually uplifting, and just plain most fun music I've heard in ages. Listen to a sample of their version of Children Go Where I Send Thee. If it doesn't get you up, swaying and clapping, you have no soul.

Deep spam
In checking my e-mail this morning, I came accross one with the subject line "mispronounciation." Since I did my radio show last night, and since I always mispronounce the artists on my show, I thought it was a listener sending in some advice on an artist or song.

Instead it was the oddest, must cryptic not ever. I'm assuming it was spam, but not sure what the point it. I quote it in full:

"himself: Woe is me! How I have deceived myself! These feet which
would have saved me I despised, and I gloried in these antlers
which have proved my destruction.
What is most truly valuable is often underrated.
The Jackdaw and the Fox
A HALF-FAMISHED JACKDAW seated himself on a fig-tree, which had
produced some fruit entirely out of season, and waited in the
hope that the figs would ripen. A Fox seeing him sitting so long
and learning the reason of his doing so, said to him, You are
indeed, sir, sadly deceiving yourself; you are indulging a hope
strong enough to cheat you, but which will never reward you with
enjoyment.
The Lark Burying Her Father"

Oooohkaaay...

Sweeties in paradise!
Our friend David took this photo of us in Hawaii. It's in front of his gorgeous new house on the Big Island.

Coming soon!
Get your Christmas lists started now. Here's the hottest new thing to expect.

Joy!
Watching this made me grin like a little kid. It's so fun. I remember the press when they filmed this ad, because they actually released all those balls on the streets of SF. But it's so delightfully, simply joyful.

Red Cloud, over Chavez Ravine
I've been listening to the excellent Ry Cooder CD Chavez Ravine a lot lately, and loving it. This trip back to LA in the '50s, when a "Poor Man's Shangra-La" was demolished to make way for Dodger Stadium is full of songs that will engage you on first hearing, and that you will love upon repeated listening. I highly recommend this for the great music and the wonderful story it tells. From sweet Tex-Mex waltzes to hip 50s grooves, to bits of programming that cover everything from aliens to Commies to Dragnet, it's a solid release that will climb to the top of your favorites list. Would make a damn fine Christmas gift for the adventurous music lover in your life as well.

Art in the Tubes
At the risk of being arrested as terrorists, a group of artists have begun attaching suitcases with projectors and Mac minis to the sides of subway trains with the purpose of showing art movies on the walls of tunnels. You can see a QuickTime movie of the project here.