From: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org (fegmaniax-digest) To: fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Subject: fegmaniax-digest V11 #78 Reply-To: fegmaniax@smoe.org Sender: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk fegmaniax-digest Thursday, March 7 2002 Volume 11 : Number 078 Today's Subjects: ----------------- RE: we got the beet ["Brian Huddell" ] Re: 100% triv [Tom Clark ] Beet anectode (Beet: 100%, RH: 0%) ["Eugene Hopstetter, Jr." ] RE: 100% triv ["Kenneth Johnson" ] Re: all right...the church police! [Tom Clark ] Re: the global war against globalization [grutness@surf4nix.com (James Di] Patriot from Virginia takes up the Good Fight. ["Thomas, Ferris" ] beets and nothingness ["ross taylor" ] Re: kick out the rutabagas! [Ken Weingold ] RE: the global war against globalization ["Brian Huddell" ] Re: four rings for beetle kings? [glen uber ] Re: four rings for beetle kings? ["Maximilian Lang" ] Re: 100% triv [Eleanore Adams ] Top Five 2001 ["Michael Wells" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2002 15:55:51 -0600 From: "Brian Huddell" Subject: RE: we got the beet > I was getting seriously confused there for a minute. Are you > guys talking > about betts or beetroot? Two different creatures entirely (I > think one's a > mammal and one's a reptile). Beets, you eat the green leaves. > Beetroot, you > leave well alone. It looks like potato soaked in red ink, but > doesn't taste > anywhere near that good. > > James Many Americans call the roots "beets". We call the leaves "beet greens", or perhaps "compost". We call Allen Ginsberg "beat". ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 13:57:30 -0800 From: Tom Clark Subject: Re: 100% triv on 3/7/02 8:04 AM, Michael R Godwin at hssmrg@bath.ac.uk wrote: > A few months ago, I suddenly realised that Darren was being played by a > different actor from the one I remembered. It turned out to be a guy > called Dick Sargent, who had a different haircut, although otherwise > looking quite similar to the original. But now, it's back being good ol' > Dick York again with the staring eyes. And they had started bringing in > some tedious guest stars (always a sign of a series on the skids) - > notably Henry Gibson as a leprechaun - but now it's back to the original > cast. The only thing that kept those later shows going was David White > working really hard as Larrry. Actually there were three dicks on that show: Dick York, Dick Sargent, and Paul Lynde. Thank you; I'll be here all week. Don't forget to tip your waitress. - -tc ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2002 14:02:00 -0800 (PST) From: "Eugene Hopstetter, Jr." Subject: Beet anectode (Beet: 100%, RH: 0%) Years ago a man I knew enlisted in the Peace Corps and ended up in Estonia. "Their national pastime is despair," he said. Being a man who grew up in the southern USofA, he came to regret their bland, meatless diet. Especially the lack of beef. However, one day he learned they were serving beef burritos for lunch. Oh how he salivated. Oh how excited he was to sit down to a plate full of heavy burritos. When he finally bit into one, his heart sank. Turned out they were *beet* burritos. Mealy red beats all mashed up to resemble ground beef. Ack. Try FREE Yahoo! Mail - the world's greatest free email! http://mail.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 14:02:29 -0800 From: Tom Clark Subject: Re: ten for two! on 3/7/02 9:30 AM, Natalie Jane at emma_blowgun@hotmail.com wrote: > At the risk of incurring the wrath of the entire list, I have to say that as > far as I'm concerned, the only thing worse than hearing Dylan singing Dylan, > is hearing Robyn singing Dylan. Or maybe it's the other way around. I said it once and I'll say it again: Fuck you Natalie Jane! For my money, Robyn does Dylan better than Dylan does Dylan. His reverence for the material is just so evident; it's like Natalie lip synching a Minder's tune. Geez, I can't believe I once loved you. - -tc ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 14:03:33 -0800 From: "Kenneth Johnson" Subject: RE: 100% triv >I can't believe the earnest replies this generated! Mike, you were >*kidding* right? There are pockets of weirdness everywhere, but >evolution is right up there with "Earth revolves around sun" as commonly >accepted knowledge. hey even his holy badness himself the pope acknowledges evolution's validity >+brian (from a country where irony has never spread beyond the >Northeastern Intellectual Elite) really where's that? are there many Hindus there? Kenneth ****** "When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?" --Eleanor Roosevelt "I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually." - -- James Baldwin "What does it matter to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?" -- Mahatma Gandhi _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 14:09:23 -0800 From: Tom Clark Subject: Re: all right...the church police! on 3/7/02 12:19 PM, Ken Ostrander at kenster@MIT.EDU wrote: > of course, our monetary system based on faith. "in god we trust" because the > gold standard disappeared long ago. This reminds me of the genesis of The Wizard of Oz, which I hadn't heard about until I was in college. For your amusement: http://www.ryerson.ca/~lovewell/oz.html - -tc ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Mar 2002 11:24:54 +1300 From: grutness@surf4nix.com (James Dignan) Subject: Re: the global war against globalization >> Hands up those who think someone from New Zealand actually knows >> much about the average American. > >If you mean, "more than the average US citizen knows about New Zealand" >here's my hand. You can substitute Canada, and just about any >other non-third-world country for "New Zealand" and the statement >is probably true. thanks for that Fric. And I agree that knowledge of the US within the US is probably much lower than knowledge of the US by some people outside the US. Off the top of my head, given a bit of time, I could name all 50 US states and all 12 Canadian provinces and territories (plus Nunavut). I might even have a fair stab at the capitals. I doubt the average American could name all 50 US states without looking them up, let alone the Canadian Provinces. As for them naming the Provinces of New Zealand, a large proportion of them wouldn't even be able to tell you where New Zealand was or anything about it at all. But this misses the point. Greg, your original message said that religious influence was 'minimised' in US society. And to counter my response you named a half a dozen countries with stronger religious influence. Surely if religious influence is *minimised*, then it would be impossible for there to be less influence, and you could name all 235 +/- 10 other sovereign states in the world as having more religious influence on their societies. As for knowing about US society - As it happens, New Zealanders are for the most part frequent travellers, and many of my friends travel overseas on a regular basis. It is far easier for visitors to different countries to get overviews of society that members of those societies do not get. In terms of the religiosity of their societies, the US ranks very high among these people (higher than several Middle Eastern countries and much of Europe). We also get blasted by the US media which gives an (albeit distorted) view of US life. A quick scan of NZ's five nationwide free-to-air TV station listings for today reveals 38 hours of US programmes (nearly 1/3 of total viewing time). You may not be able to get a perfect idea of US societal mores from Letterman, Sally Jessy Raphael, Judge Judy and the Simpsons, but it gives you some insight. And that's excluding the proportion of news coverage coming from the US. As with many countries in the world, US events are as well-known here as our own news events. They may not show 'average Americans' but they do show the people who are influential on the lives of Americans and on American society. Does it surprise you to know we get news of Enron, and Alan Greenspan, and Daniel Pearl, and the New England Patriots last-minute win (hell, we don't even play that sport in NZ!)? We also see the overview of the swings of US public opinion - an outsiders view, sure, but probably more valid for that. Public opinion can tell you a hell of a lot about your mythical 'average American'. Until recently I worked at the Otago University's psych department, many of whose staff are American. I was at a party with some of these the other night and put your proposition that US society is only affected minimally by religion to several of them. The gereal consensus was that religion is a pervasive force in much of American society - not so much on the domestic, everyday level, but within the country's hierarchy. Religion often weighs very heavily when public acceptance is being sought - more so than in countries where the border between the secular and the religious is not as clear-cut (when is the last time you heard a British politician using faith as part of his/her election campaign?). What chance would an avowed atheist have of gaining political office in the US if running against a devout Christian? How many non-Christians are there in the Senate and House of Representatives? Do the faiths of Senators and Representatives have any bearing on the laws they pass? Do these laws affect US society? (an odd aside, the only NZ member of parliament to be outspoken about his faith is Rastafarian) Greg, as the (Voltaire?) saying goes, "I may not agree with your opinion, but I will fight to the death to defend your right to hold it." Sorry you caught me on a bad day with that first message (I seem to be being hounded by a paranoid- delusional Australian on another list I'm part of, and it is wearying, to say the least) James nf- James Dignan, Dunedin, New Zealand. =-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-= .-=-.-=-.-=-.- .-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-. -.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-= You talk to me as if from a distance =-.-=-. And I reply with impressions chosen from another time -=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=- (Brian Eno - "By this River") ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2002 17:25:05 -0500 From: "Thomas, Ferris" Subject: Patriot from Virginia takes up the Good Fight. Rick Boucher, (D, Virginia) takes on the RIAA over CD copy protection. Read the whole deal: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,50886,00.html And on the Utter and Complete Bastard front: Senate Commerce chairman Fritz Hollings (D-South Carolina) has drafted, but has not introduced, legislation called the Security Systems Standards and Certification Act. A version of the SSSCA obtained by Wired News would prohibit creating, selling or distributing "any interactive digital device that does not include and utilize certified security technologies." ________________________________ Ferris Scott Thomas Lead Programmer The Production Group McGraw-Hill Education 860.409.2612 ferris_thomas@mcgraw-hill.com (email) Never be afraid to try something new. Remember: amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic. This e-mail may contain confidential and/or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient (or have received this e-mail in error) please notify the sender immediately and destroy this e-mail. Any unauthorized copying, disclosure or distribution of the material in this e-mail is strictly forbidden. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 17:35:44 -0500 (EST) From: Christopher Gross Subject: Re: all right...the church police! On Thu, 7 Mar 2002, Tom Clark wrote: > This reminds me of the genesis of The Wizard of Oz, which I hadn't heard > about until I was in college. > > For your amusement: > http://www.ryerson.ca/~lovewell/oz.html Though this may be mistaken. Of course it's impossible to prove one way or another (like any good literary theory), but some researchers have cast serious doubt on it. See: - --Chris "Now, on to refute Derrida!" the Christer ______________________________________________________________________ Christopher Gross On the Internet, nobody knows I'm a dog. chrisg@gwu.edu ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Mar 2002 11:55:02 +1300 From: grutness@surf4nix.com (James Dignan) Subject: Re: fegmaniax-digest V11 #77 >How many Hindu countries *are* there, apart from India? Uh, Sri Lanka? >Bali? OK, Bali's not a country. But they make really nice Hindu art. >There's a lot of nice Buddhist art in Indonesia as well - the great stupa at >Borobodur, f'rinstance. (Indonesian Muslims are clearly not of the same >destructive tendency as the Taliban.) The only other one's Nepal. Nepal's in the throes of a civil war between the government and Maoist communists. Sadly, it doesn't have any oil reserves, so the US isn't interested in it. That's about it really. Hinduism was an odd example to have given in the first place. James James Dignan, Dunedin, New Zealand. =-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-= .-=-.-=-.-=-.- .-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-. -.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-= You talk to me as if from a distance =-.-=-. And I reply with impressions chosen from another time -=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=- (Brian Eno - "By this River") ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Mar 2002 11:55:14 +1300 From: grutness@surf4nix.com (James Dignan) Subject: da dum, da dum, da dumdumdum da dum... >A few months ago, I suddenly realised that Darren was being played by a >different actor from the one I remembered. It turned out to be a guy >called Dick Sargent, who had a different haircut, although otherwise >looking quite similar to the original. But now, it's back being good ol' >Dick York again with the staring eyes. And they had started bringing in >some tedious guest stars (always a sign of a series on the skids) - >notably Henry Gibson as a leprechaun - but now it's back to the original >cast. The only thing that kept those later shows going was David White >working really hard as Larrry. from what I gather Dick York went through a lot of addiction problems and got dumped from the show because of it. Dick Sargent was nowhere near as good. I can't believe this conversation - Alice and I were discussing this very series in the car yesterday. More to the point, we were discussing how 80s-present day sitcoms usually start with a normal premise that gets out of hand (Home Improvement, for instance, or Frasier), but 60s sitcoms had premises that were barking before the show even started ("I dream of Jeannie", "Mr Ed", "My favourite Martian"). Sure there are the odd few shows that nowadays start with stupid premises, but they either seem dated, or they're worked more into drama/comedies (Buffy, for instance). Bring back the stupid premises, I say! and from the 'oh, why do I bother?' department: >> I have always been fascinated by how a series about witches and magic >> could do so well in a country full of conservative tight-assed >> fundamentalist christians who for so long have done everything but >> minimized religious influence over social behavior, or at least as it is very true. Notice how Samantha had to hide her powers and wasn't allowed to use them in society. Even in the late 60s - that time of 'anything goes' liberalism - Sam wasn't allowed to declare to the world that she was a witch. It would have meant disaster for her and poor Derwood. They would have been social outcasts - or worse - shunned because they did not fit ito the accepted norms. If you are a witch, by definition, you cannot be Christian (despite the fact that real practicers of the craft probably know more about the bible than most churchgoers). If you are not Christian, you are ostracised. QED. >> understood by outsiders and especially interesting is the fact that it was >> done at right about the peak of the protestant fundamentalist meat and >> potatoes movement in the US. The peak of which? Please don't confuse Protestantism and Fundamentalism. As far as fundamentalism was concerned, there is probably more of that around now than in the late 60s. James (can someone please mention Hitler so as to stop all this blather?) James Dignan, Dunedin, New Zealand. =-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-= .-=-.-=-.-=-.- .-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-. -.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-= You talk to me as if from a distance =-.-=-. And I reply with impressions chosen from another time -=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=- (Brian Eno - "By this River") ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 14:53:52 -0800 From: "Natalie Jane" Subject: Re: ten for two! >I said it once and I'll say it again: Fuck you Natalie Jane! Fuck you too, Tom Clark! >For my money, Robyn does Dylan better than Dylan does Dylan. His > >reverence for the material is just so evident; You missed my dis, sirrah. To wit, both Robyn singing Dylan, and Dylan singing Dylan, are things I do not care for. One is no better than the other. >it's like Natalie lip synching a Minder's tune. Gee, isn't that a put-down? :) >Geez, I can't believe I once loved you. Oh, Tom. At least we still have Neutral Milk Hotel in common. n. _________________________________________________________________ Join the worlds largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 17:59:29 -0500 From: "ross taylor" Subject: beets and nothingness Thanks to Ken for the French armpits! That was right up there w/ the "Microsoft Acquires the Catholic Church" email of yore. Now that borsht has been mentioned, I want it very badly. With an unhealthy amount of sour cream. That's why I've been sick so much this winter, I haven't eaten enough borscht. Hot or cold. Ross Taylor Join 18 million Eudora users by signing up for a free Eudora Web-Mail account at http://www.eudoramail.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2002 15:04:34 -0800 From: Ken Weingold Subject: Re: kick out the rutabagas! On Wed, Mar 6, 2002, Natalie Jane wrote: > > I've heard that beets turn your pee red. Is this true? Not that I know of, but usually the day after eating them, my crap is purple. I shit you not. ;-) - -Ken ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2002 17:11:59 -0600 From: "Brian Huddell" Subject: RE: the global war against globalization Man, this is disappointing. James: > It is far easier for visitors to different > countries to get overviews of society that > members of those societies do not get. Well, that's a handy way to discount the experiences of the Americans on this list who chose to respond. You realize you're telling us you value the insights of your friends who have traveled here more than, say, mine. I understand the risk of forest-for-the-trees provincialism, but are you really saying you don't feel qualified to characterize life in New Zealand in a truthful and insightful way? Your descriptions of various aspects of life in New Zealand, that I've read and enjoyed over the years -- why even bother, unless you've been quoting foreign travelers who are able to see past the ends of their own noses to the *real* New Zealand? +brian ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 18:19:37 -0500 From: duplanet@global2000.net (by way of badly drawn woj ) Subject: Robyn recommends DuplexPlanet.com Visit The Duplex Planet: http://www.duplexplanet.com Nobody wants to get old, but nobody wants to die, either. So welcome to the Duplex Planet,where old minds reflect on years of casual information. With the gentlest coaxing from David Greenberger the inmates of the Terminal Zoo that we call the old folk's home comment on all aspects of life. Meet Frank, who, asked what makes a good relationship, replies: "I dont know - I suppose each one holding a gun." and Bill: "One of the Beatles got shot. And he died. He was syndicated - turned to ashes." and Fergie: "Fish are very, very careful that they do not make any mistakes. Of course, they make mistakes like anyone, but they try not to. but they make a mistake just the same. Different kinds of mistake, too many to mention." It's all just waiting for us! - - Robyn Hitchcock Visit The Duplex Planet: http://www.duplexplanet.com (among the many fine items available is the CD "Ernie: Songs of Ernest Noyes Brookings" with Robyn's performance of "Book") ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 18:31:13 -0500 From: badly drawn woj Subject: four rings for beetle kings? http://music.yahoo.com/launch/news/launch/story.html?a=n/music/launch/news/launch/rock/20020307/12/p1&b=n/music/launch/news/launch/rock/20020307/12/p2 The Beatles Were Once Interested In Making A 'Lord Of The Rings' Film March 7, 10 a.m. ET, Launch Could The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring have been the Beatles' first magical mystery tour? Denis O'Dell, the producer of the Oscar-nominated first film in the Rings trilogy, tells London's The Times that the "Fab Four" struck on the idea of turning J.R.R. Tolkien's famed myth into celluloid more than 30 years ago. However, the band was unable to find a director, despite talks with David Lean, who was filming Ryan's Daughter at the time, and Stanley Kubrick, who didn't think the books could be turned into movies. O'Dell says the individual Beatles would have acted in the movies, too--Paul McCartney would have played the hobbit Frodo and John Lennon would have played Gandalf the wizard, while roles for Ringo Starr and George Harrison were never confirmed. The band apparently considered writing and recording some new music to accompany the film, as well. - -- Gary Graff, Detroit ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 16:13:34 -0800 From: glen uber Subject: Re: four rings for beetle kings? badly drawn woj wrote: >Denis O'Dell, the producer of the Is this the Denis O'Dell that is referenced in "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)"? - -- Cheers! - -g- "Beer makes you feel the way you ought to feel without beer." - --Henry Lawson +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ glen uber blint at mac dot com Just one piece of advice you might be able to use: SEVENTEEN ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 19:42:19 -0500 From: "Maximilian Lang" Subject: Re: four rings for beetle kings? >From: glen uber >Reply-To: glen uber >To: badly drawn woj , "worst...list...EVER!" > >Subject: Re: four rings for beetle kings? >Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 16:13:34 -0800 > >badly drawn woj wrote: > > >Denis O'Dell, the producer of the > >Is this the Denis O'Dell that is referenced in "You Know My Name (Look Up >The Number)"? > >-- > >Cheers! >-g- Yes. Max _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2002 19:06:49 -0500 (CDT) From: gSs Subject: Re: da dum, da dum, da dumdumdum da dum... On Fri, 8 Mar 2002, James Dignan wrote: > very true. Notice how Samantha had to hide her powers and wasn't allowed to > use them in society. Even in the late 60s - that time of 'anything goes' > liberalism That is definately a misunderstanding of the American society. While this period in American history is sometimes described in this way, it is false. The conservative, fundamentalist, dad works, mom stays home and had about 2.5 children, daughter gets a barbie doll, son gets a tonka truck idea was still very much the norm, in fact it was peaking just about then throughout most of the US. - Sam wasn't allowed to declare to the world that she was a > witch. It would have meant disaster for her and poor Derwood. They would > have been social outcasts - or worse - shunned because they did not fit ito > the accepted norms. Which applies pert near everywhere still today. > If you are a witch, by definition, you cannot be > Christian (despite the fact that real practicers of the craft probably know > more about the bible than most churchgoers). Reciting scriptures from memory of any religion does not make you more or less a part of that religion. Weren't the Taliban and the other goons taught to memorize their scriptures in what was often their non-native tongues which in most cases was no more understood by them than Finnish is to me. I think to be a christian you have to do three basic things and memorizing scripture or knowledge of anything in regard to their origin is not one of them, or so I understand. >If you are not Christian, you are ostracised. QED. Demonstrated no more often than in most other places and in fact Christians are ostacised in this country now more than probably any other single group. Except the catholics. Two jokes there. > >> understood by outsiders and especially interesting is the fact that it was > >> done at right about the peak of the protestant fundamentalist meat and > >> potatoes movement in the US. > > The peak of which? Please don't confuse Protestantism and Fundamentalism. > As far as fundamentalism was concerned, there is probably more of that > around now than in the late 60s. You mean more of the Militant Fundamentalist Movement? Those numbers are dwindling quickly overall but the fortitude and integrity of the individuals in these movements does seem to be increasing. There is fundamentalism in any religion, point of view or whatever and then there is the Fundamentalist Movement which is made up of baptists, mostly I believe who are themselves protestants of course. What I call the protestant fundamentalist meat and potatoes movement peaked right about when the first gen-xers started wiping their own asses and their older sisters, the last of the war babies, started discharging the menses and coming home drunk and pregnant on a regular basis. Chicken was no longer unusual for dinner and Tang was the shit. Dads were getting high and moms had started screwing the neighbors more often than ever before. Thats what I call the peak of the fundamentalist protestant meat and potatoes movement, right around 1970 or so. Goodbye Ed Sullivan, hello Monty Python. gSs ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 17:20:34 -0800 From: Eleanore Adams Subject: Re: 100% triv I, too have thought about this, and i think it goes to show that the majority of americans are not fundamentalists, and like cheesy entertainment. But those fundamentalists are sure LOUD! el On Thursday, March 7, 2002, at 09:44 AM, Michael R Godwin wrote: > On Thu, 7 Mar 2002, gSs wrote: >> I have always been fascinated by how a series about witches and magic >> could do so well in a country full of conservative tight-assed >> fundamentalist christians who for so long have done everything but >> minimized religious influence over social behavior, or at least as it >> is >> understood by outsiders and especially interesting is the fact that it >> was >> done at right about the peak of the protestant fundamentalist meat and >> potatoes movement in the US. > > Long sentence, Greg! I was equally puzzled about the mass popularity of > dinosaurs in a country where the theory of evolution has never spread > outside the scientific community. Do they all buy the "spiritual powers > have buried those skeletons under the mountains to test our faith" > argument? > > - Mike "birds _are_ dinosaurs, and dromaeosaurid ones at that" Godwin ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2002 20:57:06 -0600 From: "Michael Wells" Subject: Top Five 2001 This is only about two months late, but I didn't actually get one of the nominees until recently and wanted to give it a fair shake. And please excuse the comments, I'm sure they'd be better if I wasn't on such heavy medication.but as there's nary a Lampchop album in sight, it must be time for: Mike's Top Five for 2001 1) Grant Lee Phillips - Mobilize It's difficult for me to find language elegant enough to describe this album. If you bought "Storm Hymnal - Gems from the Vault of Grant Lee Buffalo" you can see hear this sound developing on disc 2, the "outtakes," albeit in a nascent state. Grant's talents seem fully realized here, shimmering lyrics over deceptively subtle orchestration. Struggling, conflicted songs of doubt and concern balance with confident songs of strength and a simmering passion ("Sadness Soot"). Grant's trademark overlay of Faith is less in the forefront here, perhaps removed to accent this statement of belief in (his own) vision. It's personal without being confessional, in a cloying Joni Mitchell sort of way. It's hard to describe.but for me this album is perfectly "measured" in space and time, like it absolutely belongs exactly where it is. An impeccably balanced collection. There's much beneath the surface to work through, but the music doesn't challenge you to do it at any other than your own pace. Great driving music. Great everything. 2) Bob Dylan - Love & Theft The Man returns. I must admit he pretty much lost me (again) after "Oh Mercy" in '89, 'The Man in the Long Black Coat' was one of his best songs ever but then.a couple of decent return-to-the roots releases and a bunch of box sets. In a different year where "Mobilize" doesn't exist, Love & Theft is my #1 going away. "Mississippi," the stomp of "Summer Days," "Sugar Baby".all top-shelf. It is so good to see BD back on form, rocking out, not preaching, actually enunciating, playfully twisting and poking with the lyric. I didn't catch 'til later that it was his first time back with Lanois producing since "Oh Mercy." I place it as my third favorite all-time Uncle Bobby release, and it had to do some elbowing to get there. It's that good. 3) YFF/The Minus 5 - Because We Hate You/Let the War Against Music Begin Something of a guilty pleasure this one, a hugely fun double release with only a couple of low spots and no pretension. But then I think everyone on this list had one of these appear in the mailbox, so you already knew that. 4) Handsome Family - Twilight Go buy it. Now. No, put the sandwich down. Go buy it. I know you've never heard of it, I don't care. Go. Now. 5) Bjork - Vespertine Quail said it best with his effusive review.I'm not quite THAT sold with it, but still an eerie and intricate work. Great sex music. Honorable Mentions * Gillian Welch - Time (the Revelator). I'm a big Gillian Welch fan. So sue me. * Ryan Adams - Gold. Ultimately felt like I had to wade through too much stuff, but still interesting. * Radiohead - Amnesiac. Might have cracked the top five in another year. Biggest Load of Crap Release Rufus Wainwright - Poses. "Poser" would have been better. Man, I just don't get this at all. Yours in straight-eight time, Michael "no Eb he be, that fo 'sure" Wells ------------------------------ End of fegmaniax-digest V11 #78 *******************************