You may be wondering what I'm doing in New York. I'm not going to tell you, except that I will mention a dreaded phrase: late-night inebriated karaoke. Not me, sweet jebus, but there I was, overwhelmed with culture shock, in a karaoke bar, something I have never experienced before. Let me tell you, Dave can dance if he wants to, Janet does a pretty fair Liz Phair, Rich is an enthusiastic whoever-that-was, Chris truly is angry drunk Dylan, and Bora is hereafter known as monotone Elvis, but Razib stole the show with a flawless, pitch perfect impersonation of a goat on psilocybin being anally violated by an angry Wookie. Purportedly, it was a duet with Shelley, but she seemed to be singing something completely different, with melody, meter, and a single common pitch, and was drowned out by the syncopated howling.
There may be further reports from New York, unless I'm overwhelmed by the madness.
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[starwarsgeek]
Wookiee has two Es, but it's alright, that's a common mistake Mr. Meyers.
[/starwarsgeek]
hm, isn't that your first link to Razib since the mid-Jurassic?
Karaoke bars are a lot like Mopeds. They can be quite fun but you don't want your friends to catch you.
Nah, it's all a hallucination.
You're really stuck in Cleveland, and you're lost luggage hallucinating that you're in NYC as a result of too many airline dinners...
Oh, really now! The sodomitically angry-Wookiee-violated psilocybin-laced goat has just been done to death out here in California. We've moved on.
More reports! Please, more reports!
My son has trained several dogs to sing along with his harmonica.
Go on, PZ. Succumb to the madness. Everybody's doing it. You know you want to.
Just like for the existence of a god, I'm going to need to see some evidence of this. Pictures will be adequate!
This seems as good a post as any to share this lovely portrait of Pee Zed with the world.
OT, something to do with the latest speed of light research & evolution:
http://jacklewis.net/weblog/
(Plain Firefox is banned from the site, so you have to use IE or something like IETab in FF.)
"pitch perfect impersonation of a goat on psilocybin being anally violated by an angry Wookie."
You'd never read that kind of stuff on a Godblog.
Who the hell wants to visit a Firefox-blocked website? Not me, that's who.
PZ, Just say the word and an impromptu Drinking Liberally session will break out; certain dirty fucking hippy NYC atheists would be all over it like birds on Tippi Hedren.
And not only is Firefox blocked, but so is Safari. Heck, I bet they just block all non-IE browsers.
"One of the "foundational" "proofs" for the overall religion of Evolution is the distances of stars. By claiming stars are so far away, adherents to the religion of Evolution use that as evidence for an old universe. However that falls apart if the speed of light is not an absolute (actually it falls apart for several other reasons, but much more apparently without the assumption of Einstein's claim about the velocity of light). So research that shows any aberration in the dogma of an absolute speed of light is conveniently ignored, suppressed and tossed aside."
From: http://jacklewis.net/weblog/ [IE only]
The overall religion of Evolution is a heresy. Only the dungaree religion of Evolution holds the truth.
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I read that Jack Lewis screed and chuckled. He quotes an article on physics and lightspeed, then leaps into a disorienting attack on evolutionary biology.
I knew deep south racists when I was a kid who could move seamlessly from the subject of mashed potatoes or the weather to a spitting rant on black people.
If you hate something enough, EVERYTHING reminds you of it.
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"The overall religion of Evolution is a heresy. Only the dungaree religion of Evolution holds the truth."
A letter of Paul to the Carharttians.
Karaoke requires copious amounts of Sake for the best performance.
I only sing Billy Idol or Spandau Ballet.
http://jacklewis.net/weblog/ [IE only]
Does this mean that Internet Explorer is the official Browser of Christ (tm)? Are Firefox and Safari only used by those horrible godless heathens?
I could feel my IQ dropping slowly while I was looking at that site :S
Oddly enough, physicists don't care much about biological theories. They do care a lot about their own though. They have proven by multiple methods that the speed of light hasn't varied at all for the life of the universe. Next lie please and do try to make it one that is not over a hundred years old that we haven't seen twice this week.
I can see why some people refer to god as the invisible sky fairy. Some of the warped morons like Dural who believe in him are causing him a serious credibility problem.
I would pay money for a recording of P-Zizzy doing Fight the Power - preferrably while sporting the "science pimp" outfit.
We have definitely crossed deeply into the forbiddingly frightening Land of Do-It-Yourself.
Not that I'm at all against self-entertainment, which is an honourable tradition as old as humanity. (I myself come from a family that has a sprinkle of gypsy and troubador in it).
But we used to take it rather more seriously and train ourselves into at least some fair modicum of expertise. (And while we supported the truly great talent, the tone-deaf would never presume to pollute their neighbours with their caterwauling efforts. Ah yes, there used to be a time when the tone-deaf were considerate and polite, as well as posessed of a decent amount of self-control and humility).
My condolences, PZ (I myself cannot conceive of a more hideous ear-worm generator) but perhaps these negative effects were offset somewhat with circumstances providing at least some uproarious moments for the funnybone.
Consider what teckno-kommercial-kulture has wrought: everything from kockamamie karaoke krap (in no mean part kourtesy of the krafty enkouragement of the fine folks who attacked the heartland with that weapon kalled "Amerikan Idol" which have koerced too many kids into thinking its kool to pose with and bound around like an idiot in front of an audience with a mikrophone pretending to sing or be a musician) to software that makes people who can barely draw stick figures think they are Leonardo.
Sheeeit. Look at all the JUNK choking us to death (and worse, to insanity). Even kulinary-wise: there are folks who aspire to make their own 'McDonald's-style' burgers, for cryin' out loud.
Sigh. Will this sick society ever wean themselves from worshipping the god of mediocrity and rediscover the merits of entertaining themselves with fine ('real') art, along with a genuine respect for the kind of dedication, hard work and expertise required to become a true exponent of it? Will the karaoke krowd ever learn to shut-up and sit down?
Nah. Maybe tomorrow morning.
I've got three words for you, mate: Go Fuck Yourself. Your elitist 'purity' crap can go take a flying fuck at a rolling donut. Why do You get to tell everyone else what's worthwhile? Oh, yeah. You don't.
Tear down the walls, bitches. No longer will the "elite" dictate to the plebes what's 'cool'; no, we're deciding for ourselves what we like. I understand that the democratization of acclaim terrifies you, but really: STFU.
"Oh give me pinch of psilocybin to sprinkle in my beer
so that my psychopathic next of kin may not seem so queer."
Only the dungaree religion of Evolution holds the truth.
As decreed by the Leviite priests, of course.
People willingly and selectively use IE???
*blink, blink*
I pity the poor goat.
That would be the hypothetical goat of course, but what horrible mental image! Well done PZ!
Thank God for the funniest post I've read all night.
Oops... ummm. Did I just say that?
No longer will the "elite" dictate to the plebes what's 'cool'; no, we're deciding for ourselves what we like.
Becasue we all know that popularity equals merit.
How synchronicitous! The excitment & attractions of New York City have been in the news here just in the last couple of days -- perhaps a warning?
Arnosium, Stoegoe: Can't I like both? Can I not enjoy Mozart, and also enjoy torturing my friends with my rendition of Meatloaf's "Paradise by the Dashboard Light"? Can I not appreciate Chagall, and entertain friends and others with stick figure cartoons? Can I not be bedazzled by Gene Kelly's dancing, and also boogie on down at a night club?
It's not a worship of mediocrity to acknowledge that one is mediocre or even bad at the various arts. My demented dancing in no way denigrates Fred Astaire's choreography; quite the opposite. My clumsy gyrations raise my appreciation for his fluid grace. But am I to stop doing these things merely because there is someone better at them than me? That misses the point utterly of social activity. I'm not dancing professionally, I'm dancing because I enjoy it. Nobody else has to like it; if it offends them, they can look the other way.
Besides, if one can only pactice the arts if one is good at them, how is one supposed to become good?
....there are folks who aspire to make their own 'McDonald's-style' burgers, for cryin' out loud...Sigh. Will this sick society ever wean themselves from worshipping the god of mediocrity and rediscover the merits...
Chill. Karaoke is far more abundant in the Philippines, Japan, and Thailand. "Academy Fantasia", Thailand's answer to "American Idol", is broadcast 24 hours/day (you get to watch the hopefuls play ping-pong together, dine communally, rehearse, etc.).
Hey Stogoe, bub, what's your problem? Why are you so quick to interpret some strange "elitist purity' in my words? What the fuck makes you think I DON'T think people should decide for themselves what's cool???
Look, I pointed out that commercial interests have been increasingly dictating what people think is cool. They've become so saturated with the crap thet's been pumped into them that they've long lost the ability to discern that it stinks: in fact, they've come to savour and embrace it as if its their very own, like a dolt who enjoys the aroma of his own fart.
Don't you know why 99% of everything is crap? Haven't you noticed? Do you have any idea whatsoever of what art even means? Or maybe you just don't you give a shit where mediocrity comes from?
In a society overwhelmed by such a massive mudflow flood of prepackaged commercial crap, WHY can't anybody with a sense of taste avail himself of the opportunity to put in his few cents and make a rare plea in FAVOR of people rediscovering their innate sense of taste, hmmm? Who's being elitist here? YOU can't even detect the sarcasm I employed. It was a pleasure to have irritated YOUR particular brand of "elitist purity", you dumb schmuck.
Go eat your McDonald's burger now while dreaming of becoming a rock star instead of a talent. Its getting cold and old.
Graculus: "Becasue we all know that popularity equals merit."
Thank you, yes. Bingo.
NelC: "Can't I like both?"
Of COURSE!!! Don't judge what I say on the false dichotomy stogoe, in all his snobbish wisdom, sets up. (He obviously thinks that anyone he believes he doesn't agree with shouldn't be allowed to voice an opinion. I reserve my right to say he reacted exactly like a precipitous fool).
I LIKE having fun with friends at a karaoke krack-up (even risking the ear-worms). I LIKE my blues and jazz unadulterated by formality, along with a symphony concert every now and then. I LIKE the simple charm of stick figures, along with the sublimely subtle smile of Mona. I LIKE kids who make a horrible racket or make a mess with paint learning to express themselves. I FAVOR the fact that software is available for anyone to tinker with. They represent tools for developing talent and skill. They provide a wholesome means of diversion. All positive. ALL those are aspects that contribute to the bigger picture of "Fine Art".
I was talking about the INFLUENCE of corporate interests on people's tastes, that's all. All I said was that society has been conditioned to favor mediocrity and much worse. What I DON'T like is what is largely responsible for it: the mass dissemination of packaged and repackaged garbage that infests commercial venues. That is NOT "fine art". Its just business. (Read again what I said. It has absolutely nothing whatever to do with what Stogoe accuses me of).
BUT, you say, "Besides, if one can only p[r]actice the arts if one is good at them, how is one supposed to become good?"
Nobody enjoys a good jam with friends more than I do. But while "practicing" to enjoy oneself or to become good at it is ONE thing (and it IS essential), its quite another to practice the promotion of phony talent for the consumption of the masses. The problem I meant to refer to is that people really AREN'T in as much charge of what they like as much as they think they are. What is truly disheartening is to find so many people who react emotionally and negatively at the mere mention of the qualifier "fine" when it comes to ART. A pretty decent argument can be made that it is a form of snobbery...Stogoe's reaction easily supports such an argument.
Arnosium Upinarum should check out David Vroon at the American Record Guide. He has become a bit of a broken record on the corporate-led dumbing down of American tastes (and I occasionally give in to the temptation to mock him), but in most respects I agree with him. Now if he could just preach without sounding like a pompous scold, he might have more impact. [Link]
Zeno, re Vroon: Its alright. Really. Let him speak his mind.
There is an amazing parallel between taste (as in art or recreation) and belief (as in religious conviction), each of which people jealously guard and defend, because they are so closely tied to their self-image of who they are. Criticism of either almost invariably raises hackles among them. But that does not mean that criticism is wrong to point out, for example, that so easily adopting a POPULAR taste as a measure of one's personal identity solely on the criterion that its popular isn't much of an identity to fight for in the first place, is it?
Criticism is often mocked for being pompous. (Is it at all possible to be pompous yet correct or at least sincere? I think so). But the pomposity isn't in the critic as much as its in the huffy sort who takes a GENERAL criticism on PERSONAL terms. Otherwise, criticism cannot be any more of a big deal than the object of such criticism, can it?
Wish their were lots MORE PZ's and Vrooms. We can all benefit from that kind of "self-examination".