A Simple, But Attractive, Plant Stand
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Bartók
I spent an afternoon <A HREF="http://stereophile.com/musicrecordings/671/">interviewing</A> the Emerson Quartet when they released their epic Shostakovich cycle.They were delightful. They're dedicated musicians, of course, but also witty and welcoming—just good company.
Graphic Display of Information
<I>The Daily Mail</I> maps the world with cartograms: resizing the countries according to different measures. For example, did you know that Ugandans drink the most alcohol per adult?
Lost in the Glistening Ocean of Victory Metal
Not too many people know this about him — not even his closest friends, not even his mother, not even his wife — but John Atkinson, editor of <i>Stereophile</i>, is a huge fan of The Fucking Champs. In fact, JA sent me this clip<SUP>1</SUP>.
The Birth of the Album Cover
In the dawn of the record era, album covers were based on the covers of photographic albums. Then Alex Steinweiss proposed to Columbia that it "embellish the 78 RPM record albums (covers) with original artwork (drawings and paintings)." An art form—and an industry—was born.
The 10 Coolest Numbers
<I>Break me a freakin' give</I>, I muttered to myself as I clicked on the URL to the above-titled article. <I>How stupid is this going to be?</I>
Fixing Monk
Joe Harley sends along this YouTube goodie wherein Hans Groiner helpfully "fixes" the music of Thelonious Monk.
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And Another Thing That Irritates Me . . .
Charlie Brooker doesn't like his new phone.
I Was a Tool of Satan
Cartoonist Doug Marlette has made me laugh until milk shot out my nose. He has also made me squirm when he has pilloried <I>my</I> hobbyhorses. I've always figured that political humor was at its best when it made you laugh at stuff you believed in—anybody can raise a chuckle over something you're already contemptuous of.
Inside Job
"Last fall, <I>Condé Nast Traveler</I> aviation correspondent Barbara S. Peterson applied to work as a Transportation Security Administration screener. Her mission: to investigate reports that despite a five-year, $20 billion overhaul of the passenger screening system, checkpoint personnel are failing at the job. Being hired was only her first surprise. Peterson's two months at the airport revealed how this overtaxed but dedicated workforce copes with equipment shortages, budget cuts, and record numbers of (not very pleasant) passengers. Here is an unprecedented look at the reality of America's last line of defense."