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Monday
Jul262010

New album from Silent Auction released by Nilaihah Records

dated: July 23, 2010
SOURCE: Side-Line

Out now on Nilaihah Records is the Silent Auction album "H on Earth". Silent Auction works "to create a fusion between the underground and mainstream, building a bridge between both worlds through music". Mastered by Andreas Meyer (Usher, Yo Yo Ma) it holds remixes by mind.in.a.box and Cosmicity.

Formed in 1997 in Rochester, NY by Jason Barbero and Jason Rowe, Silent Auction began as a dark industrial project derived from grinding noises, intense rhythm programming and chaotic digital sounds. In late 2000 Silent Auction began to break away from the industrial noise scene and moved towards experimental dark wave and synthpop, with Jace Luce joining the band in 2001 to add live bass and additional vocals. Over the next two years Silent Auction shifted toward a melodic and far more danceable sound. With the addition of Theresa Snyder in 2003 as lead female vocalist and co-composer, Silent Auction completed their crossover into the realm of electronica, synthpop and futurepop.

For the full article, click here.

Thursday
Jul222010

Repose of Nobility

dated: July 21, 2010
SOURCE: Swell and Dandy

The noble traits that our ancestors once took for granted are dead. Nobility has been murdered. The culprit? Laziness. The abettor? Contentment. Too often members of modern society are content with climbing out of bed, throwing on their 'comfortable' (often common and tasteless) clothes, and blending in with the rest of the world as they stroll down the easiest possible route.

But it is the easy route, right? What is the cost? Simply put, the laziness and contentment of society has caused it to throw out all of its principles because it is too lazy to uphold them. The result of this is a disconnected, cruel, careless, and sloppy world devoid of culture. Society has thrown out religion, community, family, quality, formality, and culture. We allow manners and formalities to be thrown out and we allow ourselves to be influenced by pop culture.

For the full article, click here.

Thursday
Jul222010

Stand-up comedy by Jon Robbins, of the U.S. Dept. of Justice

Tuesday
Jul202010

Woody Allen is incapable of finding happiness

by Andrew A. Anissi

Woody Allen is witty.  Through his wit and his way with words, he convinces his audience that he is intelligent.  On a purely cerebral level, Woody Allen is, in fact, intelligent.  However, on an emotional level he is an idiot.  Woody Allen is devoid of understanding of life, existence, and the human condition, though he believes himself wise.  Woody Allen cannot conceive of anything beyond what he is already used to believing, which includes only that which is mundane, and nothing outside of the oft referred to box.  Woody Allen cannot fathom the purpose of life, and hence is devoid of any capacity to ever truly be happy.  As the world outside the box is non-existent to Woody Allen, he has no capacity for wonder or epic creation and hence no vision for positive change for himself, his family, or his community.

Others in the mindset of Woody Allen might find comfort in playing the victim, thus using their resulting self-righteous indignation, anger, and hate as a driving force for continued existence, while bonding emotionally with fellow victims.  But, Woody Allen’s rational mind is too intelligent and rational to credit the blame game with any validity.  Woody is left without deep emotional yearning, without any drive toward an epic purpose, and lives the life of a nihilist.  As Woody Allen cannot attain true happiness, in order to avoid total despair and depression, he attempts to distract and content himself with an overactive hunger for transitory, base pleasures (e.g. gluttony, sexual perversion, outwitting his fellows, antidepressant pills, etc.).

But transitory, base pleasures are insufficient to escape from despair and depression.  Doubtless, Woody Allen would be suicidal, except for the fact that he takes pride in his work.  Though he acknowledges his own life is a mess, and acknowledges his own infamy, Woody Allen takes pride in the many films and characters that he created, and the widespread entertainment that they have brought about.  It’s not enough to give Woody Allen true happiness, but it’s enough to keep him going without killing himself.

That’s my take on Woody Allen after the past two nights of having watched Deconstructing Harry and Whatever Works (and having seen most of his other films).  Woody Allen is not an example to be emulated, but, through his wit and his appeal to human feelings that most can relate to, he amuses us, so we continue to watch his films.

Monday
Jul122010

Researchers Discover King Arthur's Round Table in England

The UK Telegraph reports that historians have discovered a Roman amphitheatre in Chester, England, that they believe to be the Round Table of the legendary King Arthur.

Arthur (or Arturus) has been known in history as an early sixth century king or general of the Roman or post-Roman colony of Prydain (i.e. Britain) famous for uniting warring provinces south of Hadrian's Wall and fighting off invasions by the Saxons. Many legends surrounding Arthur depict him as England's greatest king, ushering in an era of peace and plenty, and surrounded by characters such as Merlin the court magician, Queen Guenevere, Sir Lancelot of the Lake, Sir Tristan and Iseult, Sir Gawain, and others.

In addition to the Holy Grail and the sword, Excalibur, of central importance to Arthurian legend is the Round Table in Arthur's court at Camelot. The Round Table is known in legend as the meeting place of Arthur's greatest knights.

The historians mentioned above believe that the Round Table was not actually a piece of furniture, but was rather a round, Roman amphitheatre where up to 1,000 people could meet at the same time, and where King Arthur could receive information and provide instructions to his knights and nobles.  The castle of Camelot was built around the Round Table, which has been found in Chester, England.

The historians plan on presenting their discovery of the Round Table to the world via television broadcast later this month.