Random Stuff
esiegel | December 20, 2009One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. -Luciano Pavarotti
I'm not going to lie to you; I think Pavarotti's totally got it right. It's not only a necessity for living, it's one of the greatest pleasures that we get to indulge in, and we get to do it every single day.
But I'm not 18 anymore, and I not only care about the taste of the food I eat, but also its nutritional value and where it comes from. I'm not an expert on this by any means (although Sharon is), but I've started to become more…
esiegel | December 13, 2009And you,
of tender years,
can't know the fears
that your elders grew by... -Graham Nash, Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young
Here's CSNY's version of Teach Your Children from their third album (their second with Neil Young), 4 Way Street, although it was always the lyrics of the song that got to me.
Like many people involved in college life, my semester is winding down, and finals week is upon us. My astronomy class just ended yesterday; little did I know that one of my students had made up a comic strip about me! (Click for full-size.)
For the first time since High School when Rory McEvoy…
esiegel | December 6, 2009Earlier this week, I was reading one of Ed's posts, and I followed the link to the original post, where I found this gem of a comment (and I would link to it, but the blog owner has reconsidered what he wants to make public):
'Freedom of speech' does not mean 'freedom from mockery.'
Well, mockery has all sorts of uses, from a Tom Lehrer song...
...to making a political statement. As many of you know, a bill to legalize gay marriage in New York was defeated last week, which is a disappointing setback for anyone interested in equal rights. But there was a stroke of brilliance in all of this…
esiegel | November 29, 2009Saying thanks is one of the best things we can do to appreciate the good things in our lives. This goes for our partners, friends, families, coworkers, acquaintances, and for some of us, our dear readers. (Thank you all!) There are many musicians who've said thanks over the years, too, and so here's Led Zeppelin's version of Thank You from the BBC sessions.
This past Thursday was Thanksgiving in the United States, and I had a great time with some wonderful people and some outstanding food! As is "tradition," I suppose, I've been eating leftover Thanksgiving food every day since, and that…
esiegel | November 22, 2009He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man. -Shakespeare
Far be it from me to take advice from Shakespeare, though. I prefer my advice from bluegrass musicians. If you want beards, you can't do much better than Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. Here's their version (along with Tony Rice) of House of the Rising Sun, which may be the best version of this song I've ever heard. By a lot.
Why the talk about beards? Well, many of you participated in my charity challenge and got me to shave my head. That worked so well as a motivator that I decided to…
esiegel | November 14, 2009But I want you to know something... you and me, it's not gonna be a one-way street. 'Cause I don't believe in one-way streets. Not between people, and not while I'm driving. So, here's some advice I wish I woulda got when I was your age: Live every week like it's Shark Week. -Tracy Jordan, 30 Rock
And, much like Tracy, the song for you this week is simple, sweet, and good-hearted. Enjoy an old classic, Just the Two of Us by Grover Washington, Jr., and Bill Withers.
Many of you have asked about whether there were any good science programs on television, and I have found one for you. Starting…
esiegel | November 7, 2009We've got an interesting contrast this weekend between the music and the fun stuff. I'm listening to Ray Lamontagne, a wonderful acoustic guitarist and singer/songwriter. The first song I heard by him was his version of Gnarls Barkley's Crazy, and I was instantly hooked. But the heartbreak of his song "Shelter" really got to me, and so I present a live version of it, followed by "Hold you in my arms," to you below.
And I think that, along with something deep and powerful like these songs are for me, you need something fun, happy, and amusing to balance it.
So, if you haven't heard of…
esiegel | November 1, 2009Here is your king's scepter, and here is your kingdom, with the scorpion, the cobra, and the lizard for subjects. Free them if you will. Leave the slaves to me. --Ramses, in The Ten Commandments
This year, I went as Pharaoh Ramses II, as played by Yul Brynner (above and below).
Well, this is my take on it!
Even Moses couldn't resist having his picture taken with me.
So Happy Halloween to all of you, and I hope you enjoy the new profile photo!
What do you all say? Should we have a Halloween Costume Contest next year?
esiegel | October 24, 2009Most of the time, I like to showcase some new music to you, or at least music that's new to me. But this week, I heard an old favorite for the first time in a long time. You're probably familiar with the Violent Femmes, but you may not have heard anything other than Blister in the Sun from them. That's not a bad song, but it isn't their best. Take a listen to Add It Up below and see if you agree:
Those of you who know me personally might know I have a taste for Mike Judge, including his very funny movie Idiocracy. One of the funniest parts of Idiocracy was their all-pervasive energy…
esiegel | October 18, 2009Music. Dance. Theatre. Take your pick, ranging from something classical like the symphony or the ballet to something modern like musical theatre or fusion dance, there's a world of sights and sounds for you to enjoy.
For an example of a new twist on an old favorite, have a listen to Yo-Yo Ma (on cello) and Bobby McFerrin (on vocals) perform The Flight of the Bumblebee:
Flight of the Bumblebee,As you prepare to enjoy this new world, you may ask yourself, "What qualifies as proper behavior in this new venue?" I have put together a passive-aggressive set of (in)frequently asked questions about…
esiegel | October 10, 2009There's nothing quite like a Bob Dylan song performed to perfection by someone other than Bob Dylan. All Along the Watchtower and Knockin' on Heaven's Door are the most common ones, but a little further off the beaten path is Girl from the North Country, which is knocked out-of-the-park here by Sam Bush.
Now, the college I'm at has issued warnings about the symptoms of both swine and regular flu, and what to do in case of infection. But they've said nothing about that disease that turns you into a zombie.
Thankfully, the University of Florida has come to the rescue, outlining a six-page…
esiegel | October 3, 2009Where else would you find a combination of Avenue Q and Sesame Street?
(Caution: adult themes in the very, very amusing video below.)
Because we all need something light once in a while. Hope you have a great weekend!
esiegel | September 27, 2009I've liked the musician Rufus Wainwright for some time, but I didn't realize that he was the son of Loudon Wainwright, whom I've just recently discovered. Loudon's a singer/songwriter who's been around for even longer, and who I like even better than Rufus. His song Father and Son was written for Rufus, but I think the Peter Blegvad song Daughter that he performs here is more appropriate for today.
Why? Because I just learned about the Asgarda women of the Ukraine, via Planet and Bust magazines.
[Image removed due to copyright claim.]
I take so many things for granted in this country that I…
esiegel | September 12, 2009Like to go to the movies? Like movie theatre popcorn/candy/slushies/etc.? And do you also like surreal humor?
Take a listen and look at Mastodon's "Cut you up with a Linoleum Knife". It isn't the normal music I listen to, but it's one of my favorite movie openings ever.
But this totally amuses me this weekend, and I hope it gets you, too! (And bonus points if you know what movie it comes from.)
esiegel | September 6, 2009It's something we take for granted in our modern, civilized world, but a really severe winter brings a lot of challenges with it. Dar Williams, in her song February, sings a beautiful piece about living through the worst of it:
Some places have it far worse than others. For instance, in many places of the world relatively close to the equator, the dead of winter still brings tremendous amounts of daylight:
In other places closer to the Arctic/Antarctic circles, the winter solstice barely brings any daylight at all, making for an incredibly dreary, depressing time:
But some people thrive in…
esiegel | August 30, 2009
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone.
It's not warm when she's away.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And she's always gone too long anytime she goes away.
Bill Withers' song Ain't No Sunshine has been covered by over 100 major artists since its release in 1971, but I think the original is still the best (sorry, DMX).
Those of you who've been following this blog since the old site know that I don't write very often about my personal life. But there's a big life change that's happening for me right now that's related to the Astronomy/Cosmology/Physics.
You see, back in the spring of 2006, I…
esiegel | August 22, 2009New technology has led to breakthroughs in practically every aspect of our lives since the dawn of the industrial revolution. In nearly every case, it's for the betterment, in some way, of society. (And yet, I like my music best when it's acoustic, unprocessed, and barely produced at all.) Take a listen to Song for Roy by the amazing Sam Bush (with help from Emmylou Harris) about his late bass player, Roy Huskey, Jr.
One of the more memorable technological advances in my lifetime came in the mid-1990s, when DNA testing/evidence became a very controversial part of our culture with a…
esiegel | August 14, 2009Sometimes, things happen that either:
I don't agree with,
I have different information than other people (sometimes more, sometimes less, sometimes just different), or
need to be spoken out against,
and that's when it's time to argue. Sometimes, there's no way around it, and I need to put myself out there, and make the best argument I can for one side of an issue based on what I know.
So this week, I have a conciliatory song from one of my favorite bands that you've probably never heard of, Storyhill, and this song is called Continents Collide. If I was near Dearwood, MN, I'd definitely…
esiegel | August 7, 2009When I issued my Charity Challenge to you a few weeks ago, I had no right to expect the support that all of you have given me. So listen to Michael Chapman singing Memphis in Winter while I give you what you gave for:
We have reached:
101 separate donations,
at least $3,260 in new donations pledged,
over 80 additional charity hours, and
many great additional donations, such as food, clothing, shoes, diapers, medicine, and many other philanthropic offers!
And so, as promised, you're getting what you paid for. Here's how I do it (and with all images, just click for the full size):
Step 1:…
esiegel | July 31, 2009I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further.
Ahh... good old Star Wars. So, I am altering the deal. Two weeks ago, I told you all that we were having a charity challenge, and that if I got 100 of you to donate either money ($10 minimum) or time (4 hours minimum), I would shave my head for the first time ever. I even found a picture of me at 19, nearly 12 years ago, to help inspire you as to what a big step this was.
And we've come close as of today. We're only a few (less than 20) donations away, and I've been extraordinarily impressed with the outpouring of support I've…