text:
Friday, June 20, 2008
Gender and Copyright
Our nation was born out of a desire for freedom
Her experiment spawned a host of new theories
Your actions will only breed violence
He hatched a clever scheme
And most on point:
Her writings are products of her fertile imagination
The creation-as-birth metaphor posits an intimate connection between what an author creates and his or her work. It would therefore be a violation of the author's very person to use his to her work without permission. Feminist legal writers have explored the personhood metaphor as it is used in copyright. Professors Ann Bartow and Rebecca Tushnet have done excellent work in the areas, as have others, see e.g., Symposium on Feminism and Dualism in Intellectual Property, 15 American University Journal Gender Social Policy & Law (2007); Malla Pollack, Towards a Feminist Theory of the Public Domain, or Rejecting the Gendered Scope of United States Copyrightable and Patentable Subject Matter, 2 William & Mary Journal of Women & The Law 603 (2006). See also Christine Battersby, Gender and Genius: Toward a Feminist Aesthetic (1989), and Richard Swartz, "Patrimony and the Figuration of Authorship in the Eighteenth-Century Literary Property Debates," 7 Works and Days 2 (1989) for a discussion of the gendering of authors as males.
In asserting the birthing metaphor as a justification for a strong copyright regime, proponents of the metaphor hearken back to pre-copyright days, since for any metaphor to work in a new context, it has to be based on pre-existing associations. The birthing metaphor is quite ancient. In his "Symposium," Plato had Diotima describe poems created by Homer and Hesiod as their intellectual children, even greater than actual children.
Daniel Defoe spoke of his book as the "Brat of His Brain. For Defoe, the brain was regarded as the womb of thought, See Walter Pagel, "Medieval and Renaissance Contributions to Knowledge of the Brain and Its Functions," reprinted in The History and Philosophy of the Brain and its Function 95 (Poynter ed. 1958), thereby metaphorically overcoming the obvious biological objection to Defoe metaphorically birthing anything, but raising other issues, which Mark Rose has explored in his fascinating article, Mothers and Authors: Johnson v. Calvert and the New Children of Our Imagination, 22 Critical Inquiry 613, 622 (1996).
Is there a gender difference in how we react to copyright proposals? The recently introduced and highly controversial Canadian copyright reform bill, C-61, provides a surprising look at this, thanks to a survey done by AngusReid Strategies (see here). The survey shows significant regional, age, and educational differences:
Canadians are clearly divided on the proposed changes, with 45 per cent of respondents supporting the amendments, and another 45 per cent rejecting them. One-in-ten (10%) are undecided.
Regionally, British Columbia (52%) and Alberta (48%) show the most resistance to amending the Copyright Act , while Quebec (53%) and the Atlantic Provinces (50%) are the most encouraging of tougher copyright infringement laws. In turn, Manitoba and Saskatchewan (21%) house the most respondents who are unsure on the issue.
The large disparity among respondents in each of the different age and education groups is particularly interesting. The survey reveals that a majority of Canadians over the age of 55 and those with a high school diploma or less are clearly in favour of the amendments to the Copyright Act. Sixty-one per cent of older Canadians support the new changes, while only 23 per cent of those aged 18 to 34 and 47 per cent of those aged 35 to 54 feel the same way.
Canadians with a high school diploma or less are also very supportive of the stricter laws—55 per cent say they support the anticipated changes, compared to 40 per cent of those with a college or technical school diploma and 40 per cent of those with at least one university degree.
Michael Geist points out another result in his blog: "Men oppose the legislation 49 to 33 percent, while women are split 31 - 29 in favour with the largest number (40 percent)
20 comments:
- Lloyd Shugart said...
Does the survey point to a real and deepening issue, Is that issue the change in morality of society? When Thomas Jefferson penned the constitution, his belief was that most were moral, and the laws should address the same.
He railed against monopolies because they were used by immoral people(kings and the kings men) to take advantage of the common people, and society at large. He believed that moral people stood to protect all. Also society had a way of enforcing morality, because communities were small, and what others in that community thought, determined how each interacted with the other. To be shunned by the members of your society was at that time. a punishment that most respected. There was a need for law & punishment(public flogging in the square stockade) to effectively deal with those who lacked morals, and respect of others properties. The number of these laws & punishments have grown in time in responses to address the needs.
I am of the age that I was required(my family moral) to address anyone other than a close family member or friend by Mr/Mrs/Ms, when I was a child, this lasted well into my teens. My dad told me this was a sign of respect, of others. When I was 8, I found a wallet in a pay phone booth that had over $200.00. The first thing I did was take it to my parents, which they promptly took me to the local police station to turn it in. A week later I received a phone call from the owner of that wallet, along with grateful thanks, and a reward of $10.00. To this day I still feel that great reward of my parents actions, and I'm not talking about the $10.00.
In this day and age of Freeriding, society loses. As an example, go back to small town America. the public domain was the public right of way, parking was free. Then demand for parking required restrictions, cities started putting time limits on parking, freeriders ignore these time restrictions, then cities started enforcements of time limits by citations, and parking meters, freeriders continue to ignore, cities increase citation fees. Now I live in Seattle, I just came from a meeting with a city counsel member on parking issues. The 2008 city budget, list income from parking meters as 18 mil., and income from parking enforcement as 20 mil. Total of city police enforcement by citation is 471,524 this include all traffic including dwi,speeding, parking etc, the total of parking citations is 385,582 this is 81% of all citations, put another way the city receives over a dollar in fines for every dollar in parking fees. Costs of enforcements, is capital investment of 2 mil. in pay stations, and about a 1 mil. in salaries for meter maids.
I think society is losing in the bargain of copyrights because of increased Freeriding, as a result of moral loss. - 2:13 PM
- William Patry said...
Dear Mr. Shugart, I do not think good manners or morals are a thing of the past or that those, like us, who grew up many decades ago have a monopoly on such things. Nor do I think Mr. Jefferson believed that the Constitution embodied his own views of morality. If it did, it would include owning slaves, and fathering children with them.
My almost 7 year old twins, for example, address others in the manner you describe, so all is not lost. I question too your views that there is any moral element to the current debates over copyright; many, including those in the music industry place the blame on the industry's failure to give consumers what they wanted, and hear I mean, wanted to buy. iTunes, which has sold 5billion songs proved that people will pay.
On July 2, 2001 Napster was shut down. Following the shutdown, it took the record labels almost two years to finally offer consumers their own subscription services, PressPlay and MusicNet, services that were failures, in large part because each service only offered songs from its label owners. There was no one site where consumers could go to in order to get the particular songs they want: consumers of music do not have label brand loyalty: consumers do not say: "I want a Universal Music Group song, or a Warner Brothers Music song." Rather, they have performer loyalty. Consumers will say, "I want the new songs by this or that group or performer." Any site that is based on the wrong loyalty, as PressPlay and MusicNet were, is doomed to fail.
RIAA's former President Hillary Rosen admitted that after the shutdown of Napster and the refusal of the music industry to offer any alternative, "That's when we lost the users. Peer-to-peer took hold. That's when we went from music having real value in people's minds to music having no economic value, just emotional value." Despite this awareness, the music industry did not turn around and finally offer for sale to consumers what consumers wanted to buy (and iTunes's success), but rather the industry chose to file over 20,000 lawsuits against consumers, including suits against minor children, grandparents, and severely disabled people. In Warner Records, Inc. v. Larry Scantlebury, the defendant died before the litigation had proceeded very far. Upon learning of his death, the RIAA "asked the Court for a 60-day stay to allow the family to 'grieve', after which it stated it intended to take depositions of the decedent's children." That doesn't seem very moral to me. - 3:59 PM
- Lloyd Shugart said...
Mr. Patry,
First I am not deluded in belief that morals equals manors or the vise versa. Nor do I believe that ones own morals should be the rule of others. My family http://studio413.blogspot.com were staunch abolitionist at the dawn of this great country. They had different ideas about many issues confronting society then, yet they only sought to empress their ideas around freedoms due all of man, certainly not implicating that all should live as they did, in all ways.
That being said , I believe as they did. Yet as Mr. Jefferson recognized you can't legislate your own morals, and that morals are not in fact just ones own, but are those that the benefit the greater society.
The growing body of laws, I submit was in attempt to deal with societal needs. I don't believe that laws are proposed and created with out need, I don't ether believe that all laws are just, according to societal needs.
Certainly I don't believe that society has the right to take from a vendor because they don't like the offering or the way that it's offered. They are free to choose to seek other vendors and their products that fulfill their need, and by this method change the dynamics of the market.
As it relates to copyrights, I find the preface to this book very enlighting http://books.google.com/books?id=YcE9AAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Drone+copyright+treatise.#PPR8,M1
Mr. Patry, I have nothing but great respect for you and your work. But I feel that there is a growing disrespect for people and their properties, and the idealism that if you don't (opt-out of public domain) lock it away, that society at large is welcome to take as they please. The LA Times/Kozinski issues is a prime example - 4:39 PM
- EngineerScotty said...
First of all, a few historical inaccuracies need correction:
1) Jefferson was not part of the Constitutional Convention; and had little if any direct part in its creation. He was primary author of the D of I, but not the Constitution--a document which had numerous authors.
2) The Constitution, as initially drafted, did include references to (and implicit endorsement of) slavery in quite a few places--it took a war and subsequent amendments to outlaw the practice. No mention, though, of copulating with one's slaves (whether Jefferson had children with slave Sally Hemings is disputed to this day).
Now that that is out of the way--this seems like little more than a new spin on the issue of moral rights: Do authors and other creators have a "moral "right to the fruits of their intellect? Or is copyright merely a social bargain to encourage creation? (Or some mixture in between?) And the other question--to what extent should creators be rewarded by things such as exclusivity? - 4:52 PM
- William Patry said...
Mr. Shugart, I agree that one should not feel free to take something simply because you want to, or that there is any societal benefit resulting from those do. But all property, I believe, is a set of societal relationships, and not dominion over things. In the case of copyright, that is clear: it is Congress who created the right (whether property or not), and according to constitutional guidance. Calling things free-riding doesn't really advance how to achieve that goal. For example, free-riding is described by the Associated Press as applying to the copying of a headline for a story, or the copying of 5 words in a website -- which AP's guidelines say requires a payment of $12.50. AP didn't create the news event in question, and headlines are not AP's property: so who is free-riding in that case where $12.50 is demanded for something AP doesn't own? Or, take the Betamax case where those copying free over the air TV networks programs for personal use were described as free-riders?
Respect for law is important, indeed; but that also means respect for the limits on how far publicly granted rights go too. I am not saying two wrongs make a right, only that there is room for improvement all around. - 4:53 PM
- Lloyd Shugart said...
Mr. Party, one day I would like to be able to refer to you other then Mr......
Agreed, (But all property, I believe, is a set of societal relationships, and not dominion over things.) certainly I don't want the debate to fall awash in the semantics of the word property. I do believe that Congress should do it's job, and that at least our US society should respect those laws that it creates. Too I feel that society should work to adjust those laws to societies benefit as a whole, but in a legal way.
I am not completely familiar with the AP headline issues...true they do not own the events of news that happens, my questions is do they have property under the laws in their choice of words that they use to define the headlines as they see them, and do they have right in their web site/papers where they exist? As far as their defining Freeriding...everyone is open to say what they want....I'm not sure how you stop people from misguiding others by their words, politicians included.
To me Freeriding is as I used in the parking analogy, where those that overstay the time limits to the detriment of the rest of society, thereby no parking available or increased cost we pay to make parking available. Radiohead's experiment resulted in many taking advantage of the experiment, which may have changed the outcome to the detriment of society.
I am going to do as Mr. Jefferson did and make a statement... I believe most creators want to share their creations with society at large, and do so willingly, as demonstrated by how quickly the world wide web has grown. My fear is that those creators will begin to lock down those creations when they feel vulnerable....and that fear is not based on the many viewing and using the work as the creators posted and intended. But when an aggregator takes those works and then uses them in a commercial way that the creator never intended, and by the by was also removed from any of the income stream.
I believe in the Public Domain, and in fair use....I don't believe in stretching those in ways that congress never intended, in either direction. I think that Congress on many occasions fails in their ultimate responsibilities when they rush legislation with unresolved issues into law, or laws that are swayed by political money, and then defer to the judicial system to resolve what they were charged with doing. It is just unfair to all that are forced to participate in that resulting process, not to mention the economic and productivity it sucks from those involved. Mind you I'm not advocating putting you out of a job..hehehe
I do enjoy the wisdom of your thoughts and that fact that you so willing share with the world - 5:39 PM
- William Patry said...
Thank you Mr. Shugart for helping to make the blog what I have always wanted it to be: a place where people with divergent interests can calmly and rationally discuss issues they passionately believe in. And everyone can call me Bill. I have been called Billy only by my late mother,aleha ha-shalom, and by my dear friend Hugh Laddie (otherwise known as Professor Sir Mr. Justice Laddie).
- Anonymous said...
"To me Freeriding is as I used in the parking analogy, where those that overstay the time limits to the detriment of the rest of society"
I believe it more common to find corporate interests driving this the Freeriding you describe rather than consumers, when it comes to copyright. To me this definition most clearly describes the re-extensions of copyrights that have held works back from entering the Public Domain. And also the short-sighted terms of URAA where all qualifying foreign works which have become public domain in their home countries since 1996 are locked up under US copyright for around 20 more years (at least assuming there are no further extensions). Although the latter example may be more a simpler issue of incompetence rather than maneuvering. - 11:44 PM
- Anonymous said...
Thanks for the mention, and for this post.
- Anonymous said...
I get very suspicious whenever I see arguments based on Free Riding. The phrase is a wonderful predictor for extreme positions giving absolute control.
That absolute control is wanted especially for price differentiation. It is basic economics to observe different utility for different amounts of the same good. The first glasses of water which keep you alive are worth a great deal more than the last cubic feet which water your lawn. It would be very much in the interest of a water vendor to prevent people from drinking water sold for watering lawns. Selling goods limited by specific purpose serves to give all the economic utility to the seller and deny it to the buyer.
Control in copyright serves the same purpose. The powers commonly sought are to prevent resale and re-use for some purpose the goods were not sold for. We have DVDs encoded for different regions to support price differences between them. We have trade associations attempting to block people using music they bought on other devices but at least for now failing. We have computer software locked up tight as can be enforced by the software itself.
All this talk about Free Riding and Piracy is like a magician's trick directing people's eyes to the colorful flair of motion concealing the hand in the cookie jar. The Free Rider more often than not is much closer to the analogy of someone wanting to pay the price for lawn watering water and drink it. I am not so impressed with Free Riding as a social ill. I am far more impressed with the ills caused by our government assisting corporations in their quest for total control of markets especially in copyright where the monopoly is entirely government created. - 11:02 AM
- Chris said...
Wouldn't that metaphor suggest we should have a copyright term of 18 years, after which time the copyrighted "baby" gets kicked out of the house to fend for itself? It seems like a lot of rights holders are afraid of having an empty nest.
- Lloyd Shugart said...
My review is to determine if free-riding is good, does it increase the return to creators, and increase the bargain with society(more value)? Does society benefit from free-riding, or does it hurt society in the end?
As a member of society due you complain when standing in line or in traffic, and someone cuts to the front of the line, does it bother you, does it benefit society? Do I benefit from those that overstay the parking limits, which causes more regulation and law imposed on that parking privilege? Will creators just increase their output so that they can continue making a living, when free-riding consumes a portion of their value market, at what point will the creator exit the market?
If I create a photo that the market wants, does my copyright really equal a true monopoly, or can someone else create a photo that doesn't infringe, that will be in competition in the market of the same subject matter?
Members also produce
mixed public/private goods in which the product's content is a public good that is
delivered to consumers in the form of a private good. Significantly however, nearly
all of these goods can easily be copied, at least in rudimentary form. These product
characteristics create strong incentives for producers and distributors of public
goods to take measure to restrict or exclude non-paying (i.e. free-rider) consumers
from legitimate markets. Absent restrictions, non-paying viewers, listeners and
users could consume public goods without making payment to the ultimate producer.
Depending on the intensity and pervasiveness of free riding, these problems
could serve to reduce, if not eliminate, a producer's overall return on investment.5
Over time, lower returns could lead to the production of fewer original products,
the production of lower quality products, or both. - 4:25 PM
- Steven said...
Mr. Shugart, your arguments on free-riding (while extremely eloquent), are based on the presumption that creators have a permanent right to any work derived from their own, which the government then abridges.
If you instead begin with the opposite viewpoint (that the government abridges the public's right to create and distribute derived works), the period during which the government will assist creators in hunting down offenders is that of limited free-riding for authors. While certainly not a foregone conclusion, this position is the historical one held by the U.S. Supreme Court, enshrined in the Constitution, and well supported by the arguments of Lord Thomas Macaulay. I would, therefore, assume this to be the default, in which case you would begin by arguing against it.
All legal history aside, I have many friends who are amateur artists, some of whom believe very strongly that authors should hold by default powerful moral rights to the expression of their works. I would suggest that these feelings are partially stimulated by publishers' propaganda in support of longer copyright terms. (The reverse argument would be that the desire for "free stuff" leads the rest of us to accept the Constitutional view of copyright.)
Whatever the individual position, I believe that a strong understanding of the real and moral motivations behind each view of copyright is extremely important, even requisite to the debate. Otherwise, it's very easy for one side simply to pidgeonhole the other as immoral and greedy - completely halting intellectual progress and destroying any sort of common ground.
As an ending point, I'd like to mention an integral way old-fashioned decency comes into play here: by treating other persons' works kindly, the community will likely open the closed box of an author's mind further, and conversely, an author who releases their own work to others is more likely to be allowed past other creators' no-trespassing signs. - 10:16 PM
- Anonymous said...
Our society as a whole does not get the most benefit by having the most creative works. We get the most benefit by a combination of the most works and the most use out of those works. While strengthening the monopoly granted by copyright may increase the incentive to make new works and that may in turn increase the number or quality of those works doing so also has the inevitable effect of diminishing the use people get out of them. A stronger monopoly and greater control for the publishers means less people get less use.
If benefit to our society as a whole is the justification then the optimum amount of copyright power is less than would be optimal for publisher's profits. The publishers may call it Free Riding but it is not their interest copyright is intended to serve. It is our society as a whole. - 11:54 PM
- Lloyd Shugart said...
Steven, nothing in my thoughts nor writings express the idealism of permanent right. All ad hominem arguments aside. The delicate balance is in fact, what gives the most back to the public at large.
Intellectual Productions of the mind were protected at common law, before statues, by societal respect, and the shear cost and capital investment of duplication, and also by true monopolies by Kings, and Kings men. Those true monopolies are what our constitutional drafters railed against. Yet they recognized the value in securing the right to intellectual productions, "Thin Monopolies".
It's hard to argue that the rights created by the bargain were not in fact the economic engine that propelled the industrial world. Yet as Bill said "But all property, I believe, is a set of societal relationships, and not dominion over things." We have no moral right to our real property nor personal property, we have a bargain such as in real property "the right to quiet enjoyment" fenced by statue, that protects that right.
The most "Public Benefit" comes from the most works AVAILABLE, that doesn't mean the most unfettered rights to copy. Intellectual advance is propelled by standing on the works that came before, to see farther, not a regurgitation of the same works. Abridgements of those existing works that are used in accordance, as learning tools are what round out that bargain. The failure to make secure the right will in fact lead to less productions, as creators will not continue to produce, nor make available what is produced.
This in my mind would then lead to a situation where creations are a production of large well capitalized corporations. This results in fewer rights holders, aggregating more properties. Where competition and price slide to antitrust issues.
I am a prime example of the insecurity of intellectual production rights in this day and age. As a professional photographer, I have created thousands of images, while I have thousands of published, I have 100-1 unpublished. I have yet to make available on the internet my unpublished works. While I may or may not be the next Man Ray, or some iteration, this demonstrates the failure of the bargain on both sides. The public does not get access to the works and I don't get a remuneration of my efforts. If you think I'm the only independent creator in this state you be wrong.
The internet now stands at the door to increase the value of the intellectual production bargain to both sides. It is capable of divesting the few from holding the many. It can provide the vehicle for the independent creators to hold and offer to the Public it's works, or it can lead to the few aggregating the many. Security to the creator is at the base of it all. - 11:44 AM
- Lloyd Shugart said...
Insecurity example 2
I have a published image Rolling Stone mag, of Chris Cornell & Sam Perkins, including my copyright and attribution. Fan site member uploads image after scanning, tells everyone check out my new scan I just uploaded, by the by copyright cropped off(now potentially an Orphan Works). Lloyd cruising the net, lands upon a commercial music site, I find this image used as a branding image on the home page, no copyright/attribution.
I contact the web master alert him to the fact that, the image is my copyright protected image. His response, oh we always clear rights to copyright images. My response is that I do not have any agreements with his company authorizing such use. He then says well it can't be copyright protected because we found it on the net. I inform him that he must take it down or have his company contact me, in which case I'm more than willing to help them secure a proper license. Next contact, he says oh we aren't infringing because the image isn't on our server, and that they are only pointing to the image on someone else's server.
Sure enough I check the properties of the image, and it's pointing to another server, I follow the link to the server, and find the fan site, along with the forum posting to the message about the upload of the image. I contact the web master at the fan site, send a copy of the forum posting showing his member post. Tell the web master that I am more then happy to issue a license to use the image no charge as long as they do not use it in a commercial way, provide my copyright notice/attribution, and in some way use the various tools available so that other sites can't use the image. I get an email from the web master stating that he took the image down. I replied that it wasn't my intent for him to take the image down, just use as per the license I offered, he never responded back.
The moral of the immoral act is the Public was deprived, the bargain with society failed. - 4:47 PM
- Lloyd Shugart said...
After reading and reflecting on the story at digital native. I wonder is it morals that are changing or is that society is changing so fast, that we can't instill in those coming up those values that help people to make decisions based on fairness?
What is fairness now and how will it change in the future? Do we accept it as the new moral code? How will it translate to the many additional laws of society that we all depend on?
To speak more generally (and not simply about German youth), teenagers at large don't have an understanding of copyright and ownership of digital goods. They want to share, want to mix, and want to edit. They can't understand why it is not okay to go to Wikipedia, print a page, and use it for a speech. Anyway, that's how they still do it. Most of their created presentations are totally or partly rip-offs and plagiarism. But teachers – especially the older ones – simply fail to discover them, and so it's not punished, and there are no consequences for the students. Although they know it's illegal, they do it, just because they can and because they know nothing else. Besides the school-related illegal sharing, there are of course downloading and sharing of songs, movies and other stuff. I don't know whether that is because students do not have the needed money for buying every interesting movie or just because those things are too expensive. - 9:02 PM
- Lloyd Shugart said...
Society was developed on principle of those that came before
Yet more to ponder...Bill, I promise I won't ride this to the ground...I just wanted to circle back to my original point.
But I do question what the effects on society are and really will be?
The average digital music player carries 1,770 songs, meaning that 48 per cent of the collection is copied illegally. The proportion of illegally downloaded tracks rises to 61 per cent among 14 to 17-year-olds. In addition, 14 per cent of CDs (one in seven) in a young person's collection are copied Illegal copying in some form is undertaken by 96 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds surveyed, falling to 89 per cent of those aged 14-17.
Nearly two thirds copy CDs from friends, and similar proportions share songs by e-mail and copy all the music held on another person's hard drive, acquiring up to 10,000 songs in one go. - 10:59 PM
- William Patry said...
Lloyd, I like to let horses find their own way back to the stable
- Lloyd Shugart said...
Bill, thank you for providing the forum.
I think you have been schooled by some wise characters...
One thing I remember poignantly from a scout master "the best way to learn is to teach"
Also from an old sea pilot, that a ship in distress is better left to it's own devises...so long as she's far enough away from shore, and you remembered to batten down the hatches, not to mention that she was sea going to begin with. He told me that more ships have been lost due to the pilot thinking he knew all, and was incapable of mistake. - 12:35 AM


text:
This Compton MC is ready to lead—who's gonna follow?
This feature is a part of Complex's "good kid, m.A.A.d city" Week.
Written by Ross Scarano (@RossScarano); Photography by David Black; Styling by Kitti Fontaine; Grooming by Will
Kendrick Lamar can't remember how old he was the day he first saw the two men who would shape his future. But the memory is important to understanding the MC now, 25 years old and entrusted with the proud musical legacy of his hometown.
He's seven, maybe eight, and living in Compton, which is lucky because this is the place where 2Pac and Dr. Dre are shooting the video for "California Love." It's the original version of the video, a version that no one will see, because it won't be released. Shot before Hype Williams took Dre and Pac beyond Thunderdome, this particular iteration is about the here and now—Compton, circa 1995. "They were rolling around, getting shots of the city," Lamar recalls. "It was a physical thing. They were touching people, not riding on dirtbikes in the desert."
Lamar's father, who's played rap for him since the boy first came home from the hospital, hears about the shoot and gets his son. The video is filming down the way from the house where his family moved to escape the violence of Chicago's Southside. Young Kendrick knows the artists, as everyone does, but he's a child living in the moment and that's all it was at the time—a moment.
"I wasn't thinking about music then," says one of the most important MCs of his generation. "I was thinking about playing basketball and going outside. Cartoons. Kid stuff. But obviously it's memorable because it came back around."
He's thinking about music now, the culmination of a long grind. At 13, he began rapping. Three years later he recorded a tape called Youngest Head Nigga in Charge. L.A independent label Top Dawg Entertainment heard it loud and clear.
After plying his trade in L.A.'s rap underground for the better part of a decade, Lamar found his voice on TDE releases like 2010's Overly Dedicated mixtape, which caught the attention of Dr. Dre, 15 years after the young MC first encountered the rap legend on the streets of Compton. The California Love came full circle on Lamar's breakout debut album, 2011's Section.80, which was inspired by a vision of 2Pac. In the video for his song "HiiiPoWer," Lamar explains that Shakur appeared to him on September 13, 2010—the 14th anniversary of Pac's death—saying "Don't let me die." That same song closes with Lamar shouting out "Thug Life" and also includes this honest assessment of an aspiring Compton rapper's prospects: "I'm standing on the field full of landmines/Doing the moonwalk, hoping I blow up in time."
It's easy to get into trouble, and rap stopped me from running around.
The blow-up continues apace: Now Lamar's signed to Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, a subsidiary of Interscope. He has recorded with and written some remarkable verses for Dre, who hasn't sounded this alive since he first linked with Eminem in the late '90s. Lamar is unabashed about ghostwriting for Dre, but adds: "He don't gotta listen to me. He's 30 years in the game." Modesty aside, the little boy from Compton is all grown up and now he's carrying the banner for West Coast rap—but not in the way you might think. Lamar isn't just building on the legacies of N.W.A, 2Pac, and Dr. Dre; he's expanding and reinventing those legacies for a new generation, and in the process creating his own.
The MC that so many rap fans are counting on to release a classic, to save the game from pop-flecked dance music and big-budget mafioso posturing, has been looking backward to make sense of where he is now.
So where is Kendrick Lamar? Or better yet, when is he? Not in 2012, that's for damn sure. "I'm not interested in rapping about what I'm experiencing now because I haven't soaked it all in yet," he explains. "Maybe my next album, when I see more of the world, when I can sit back and think, 'OK, I've done it'—maybe then I can talk about these things. Now, I'm still in Compton."
He's crafted an album—good kid, m.A.A.d city— that asks listeners to follow him through the city that raised him. Not the Compton of post-N.W.A. gangsta mythology, but the real place where real people live and make mistakes and grow up.
"You go to certain suburban neighborhoods in L.A. and mention that you're from Compton," Lamar says with a smile, "people will want to hide everything they have on them, get away from you thinking you're going to rob them. It's funny; it doesn't piss me off. The reputation is real. Just like with any other ghetto in the world."
"Harsh realities we in made our music translate," Lamar raps on "Compton," the good kid album-closer where he trades verses with Dre, whose work on N.W.A.'s landmark 1988 LP Straight Outta Compton ushered in gangsta rap as we know it today. But the very success of that style spawned widespread distortions and clichés. As Lamar observes in the song's sixth verse, "Now we can all celebrate/We can all harvest the rap artists of N.W.A/America target our rap market, its controversy and hate."
Lamar offers an alternate view of Compton, as seen by someone who grew up there but wasn't defined by the stereotypical violence and gangbanging. "Some friends of my parents were involved in gangs, and some weren't," he says. "People think Compton is all about colors. It's deeper than colors. You might think that's a Blood neighborhood, everyone must wear red, I gotta wear red. No. Nowadays, people wear whatever they want to wear, especially the kids."
The acronym in the album's title stands for "my angry adolescence divided," an adolescence caught in between. "What am I supposed to do/When the topic is red or blue," he raps on "good kid," the album's first title track. "And you understand that I ain't/But know I'm accustomed to?" The entire album can be understood as his answer to that question. All Lamar can do is tell you where he's coming from with as much candor and compassion as he can muster. So he stands in the dead center of his city, looking around at all the lives Compton contains.
Listen to Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d city on Spotify:
Compton is the place where Lamar used to see Suge Knight hanging at the swap meet. It's also the place where his parents moved after Chicago's Southside became too dangerous. They did their best to keep him out of trouble—and for the most part succeeded. "I was never lectured about gangs by my parents," he says. "They'd say something here and there—'Don't do that, leave it alone,'—but there was never any finger pointing."
Despite their efforts to shield their son, the madness found him anyway.
"I was maybe 5 years old. My uncle was selling dope outside my momma's house, and I was on my bike. One of my uncle's partners was serving outside the gate, and some dude hopped out while his back was turned, and boom. Seen him drop. You see that stuff on TV as a kid; I saw that in real life: somebody get their brains blown out."
People think Compton is all about colors. It's deeper than colors.
But Lamar lived to tell the tale and keep learning his lessons. When he messed up, his parents let him know. Like the time they banished him from the house. "My folks, they weren't the type to hug and kiss in front of me," he says. "They looked more like best friends than husband and wife. They'd walk in this room right now, and my pops would smoke, my mom would be chilling, vibing out, listening to music, listening to us. They weren't overprotective. They let me go. When I say go, I mean go. Because they knew that I was gonna do it anyway. That's something that you can't stop, and you gotta understand that as a parent. Your kid's gonna do it anyway, whether you like it or not. So whatever it was, they let me do it because they understood that. But one particular time, I tried to come back and they weren't fucking with me."
He won't detail the indiscretion, but whatever the mistake, it resulted in a locked door that stayed locked for an entire summer.
The months in exile took their toll. "I ended up doing little shit. I might sneak in the backyard and cut the grass. Like, 'Let me back in this motherfucker. I'm trying.'"
"I wanna raise my kids the same way," he says now. "I'll let them go out there, and try to not be overprotective, but I'll put that plug in their ear that they have to be responsible, because life is real."
It's summer 2012, and inside a tour bus parked among the other tour buses outside the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater on Long Island, Lamar is waiting. He'll be on soon, opening for Mac Miller and Wiz Khalifa, but he shows no pre-show nerves. Just the opposite. Sitting up front by the windshield, in a large upholstered chair that makes his small frame appear even smaller, Lamar plays with the ring on his pinky finger, slipping it nearly off and on again while twisting it from side to side. Medusa's face adorns the ring, and her fearsome gaze shifts forward and back as he worries the metal.
Beyond the bus, the seats are filling up. The teens gathered to watch Mac and Wiz are suburban girls and boys so young, it's hard to imagine their parents letting them out of the house in such tiny shorts and Taylor Gang T-shirts.
I went into this album to answer questions. So there won't be any questions asked.
"My crowd is a little bit older," says the rapper with the boyish face. He wears a Mighty Ducks T-shirt tucked into dark denim, and it would be surprising if it were an earnest reference to Anaheim's hockey franchise. The teens in the audience wouldn't have been born when Disney's The Mighty Ducks hit theaters in 1992, but Lamar was.
His own story is like a novel, a fact that he's embraced while constructing his own mythology: the tale of witnessing Dre and 'Pac at a tender age, only to be visited by both later in life, one as a mentor, the other as a prophesying specter.
"I get asked a lot of similar questions, questions about how I was raised," he says, and he knows the questions are inspired by his songs. He wants his new album to function as "a prequel" to early releases like "Wanna Be Heard," "Faith," and "H.O.C."—from his self-titled 2009 EP and Overly Dedicated. "Them songs have reasons behind them," he says. "I went into this album to answer questions. So there won't be any questions asked."
All the songs he mentions find the artist reflecting on who he is and how he's perceived. "I don't think you fully understand who I am," he says on "Wanna Be Heard," before explaining that he "used to wanna rap like Jay-Z" until he "realized that Jay wasn't me."
It's a recurring theme in his work, the desire for transparency between artist and listener. "You probably heard 'Wanna Be Heard' and wondered who I am," he raps on "The Heart Pt. 2," Overly Dedicated's first track. Lamar is hardly unique in this respect. There's a long tradition of great storytelling MCs, from Slick Rick to the Notorious B.I.G., and Lamar is the latest member of its ranks. "The total package of a story, and the artist being surrounded by the story, is more memorable," he says. "That's the advantage story will always have."
Lamar's particular take on the art of storytelling—seeing the past as a window into the present—separates him from many of peers. Consider Drake, who mostly raps about his current position on the timeline of his life as he lives it now. His raps have the urgency (and nakedness) of a diary entry read immediately after it was written. Lamar's approach is the opposite. To fully grasp the MC in 2012, you have to have known him when he was 12.
You can feel young Kendrick Lamar inside the tightly-knotted, image-crowded verses of "Cartoon & Cereal," the expressionistic track he released in February of this year. The song offers a perfect entry point into the artist's mindstate right now—both ahead of his time and firmly rooted in the past.
"Cartoon & Cereal" drops the listener into a child's confusion as filtered through a media matrix. A boy sits in front of a TV in his Compton home, the noise and color from the television bleeding into the violence outside as he watches DarkwingDuck, just as the clipped and layered sound bites fit into the song's complicated anatomy. "Don't be like me, just finish watching cartoons," the boy's father tells him, leaving him to chill with an animated bird whose catchphrase is "Let's get dangerous."
Kendrick Lamar the songwriter has a novelist's eye for detail, a poet's appreciation for form as content, and an avant-garde filmmaker's willingness to bend reality for his artistic ends. In "Cartoon & Cereal" there's the immediate bloodshed happening in Compton, and then there's the world beyond the city that's available through the TV, a kind of portal that every kid in front of every television set in every city can access together, all at the same time.
My music is for the world, not just for Compton, or myself.
Darkwing Duck ran from 1991 to 1992 on ABC—a sweet spot for the disaffected '80s babies who are Lamar's true audience. He calls them "Section.80." This very specific reference creates an opening in the song, a door through which an entire generation can enter. Because he watched the same TV as Lamar, a listener from a middle-class East Coast suburb can join the MC's movement.
"My music is for the world, not just for Compton, or myself," he says. "My fans look at me as a leader because I represent myself as a leader." Kendick's goal is to foster a deeper connection with his listeners and take his music beyond the boundaries of regional geography. Though Dre and 'Pac are larger-than-life figures in rap, both are inextricably linked to the West Coast. Lamar has different aspirations.
Section.80, a release remarkable for its intelligence, immersive narratives, and considerable empathy, makes his ambitions plain from the outset. The album opens with a track called "Fuck Your Ethnicity." It's hard to imagine a more direct statement of purpose. "Now I don't give a fuck if you black, white, Asian, Hispanic, goddammit," goes the hook. "That don't mean shit to me, fuck your ethnicity." Not that Lamar is "color blind," or some other neutering cliché. His lyrics are replete with Black Panther imagery, pyramids, hieroglyphics. His songs tell his story, with a specific mythology, but they're also inclusive in the sense that they're open to any listener willing to put in the work to comprehend what's going on.
Listen to the T-Minus-produced "Swimming Pools (Drank)," the single that's received the biggest push in the run-up to the good kid release. As with "Cartoon & Cereal," this song finds Lamar looking back—"Now I done grew up/'Round some people living their life in bottles"—but this time with the aid of a tuneful hook.
"Sonically, I knew 'Swimming Pools' would pull people in. It's catchy as fuck, but it's got lyrics in there," Lamar says. "It's not too crazy where you won't be able to understand it, but it's crazy enough where it's something you want to keep listening to because you it feels like something else is happening, too."
Pay attention only to the chorus, and you might miss the song's critique of getting fucked up. That the message is slightly buried doesn't bother him.
"If a person is going to be mad at me, it's going to be a new listener who will listen to that song and think I'm on some party shit. Then they'll get the album and think, 'I don't wanna fuck with this cat. He's insane.' Eventually, you'll go back and listen, and say, 'Oh, OK.'"
He speaks about the importance of balancing heady content and hummable hooks before cracking open his creative process in a single illuminating moment of ability, mumble-rapping the entire first verse of "Swimming Pools" without hesitation, then explaining how he had the whole song as "funny shit," a melody of nonsense conjured in the booth, before he knew any of the actual words.
He admits, "It's not nothing you can learn."
Lamar idles in the wings of the Jones Beach Theater while ScHoolboy Q, also signed to TDE and a member of the Black Hippy crew that includes Lamar, Q, Ab-Soul, and Jay Rock, finishes an A$AP Rocky-less rendition "Hands on the Wheel." Some of the audience near the front recognize the ode to recklessness, but 30 yards beyond the lip of the stage the energy dissipates—people continue to settle in, chatting with friends from homeroom. Their cartoon memories are more SpongeBob SquarePants than Darkwing Duck.
Q finishes his set, sweating, and Top Dawg, the head of TDE, approaches Lamar. The older man is large and moves at his leisure. As the opening notes of "Fuck Your Ethnicity" play, he whispers something in Lamar's ear. Lamar listens, then takes the chewing gum from his mouth and presses it onto a girder to his left before bounding on stage barking the song's staccato introductory hook.
He runs through a well-received selection of his discography, but it's not until "A.D.H.D." that he fully wins the audience. The beat drops on the first syllable of "Comes with an 808/A melody and some hoes" and the crowd becomes Section.80. They're awake now, swept up in the song's moody haze.
For a kid in the 12th grade listening to Kendrick Lamar who knows the story, gets my album, and realizes the whole arc behind it, behind each song, that's something he'll never forget.
"A.D.H.D," the song that put him on the radar of rap fans worldwide last year, takes place in a drug-laden house party. Lamar speaks to and about his audience, Section.80—loners who can't relate, kids who feel alone at parties and numb themselves with drugs, compounding their feelings of disconnection. The angst he describes isn't vastly different from generic teenage ennui, but by invoking ADHD—first added to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1987, the year of Lamar's birth—his focus sharpens, and we have Section.80 in all its twisted glory.
Mind you, Lamar doesn't get high. He doesn't get drunk. He prefers to stay clear-eyed and observe the habits and contradictions of his generation (including himself). The better to turn them into compelling narratives for listeners to lose (and find) themselves in. This is difficult to do in a three-minute rap song heard on the radio, or streamed while idly browsing the Internet—especially if you suffer from attention deficit disorder. Following the action in his narratives requires focus, but it's worth the effort. Maybe that's why Lamar cut short a listening session for his new album in Chicago because he thought the assembled scribes were too busy chatting to give his work the attention he felt it deserved.
"So many popular songs come out on the radio, and five years down the line, you forgot your favorite song that was out in 2005 or 2004," he says. "You forgot that Nelly made the song that you were always singing when it came on the radio. But for a kid in the 12th grade listening to Kendrick Lamar who knows the story, gets my album, and realizes the whole arc behind it, that's something he'll never forget. He might not remember the exact song he was in love with until he hears it again, but he'll always remember how I stamped myself, and what it was about."
Stories stick with you—it's not for nothing that so many lessons directed at children are presented as fables. But Lamar's stories won't be parables. The conscious rapper out to save us all—that's not him. That's not to say he's without a conscience. When asked if he thinks his fellow '80s babies aren't living right, he responds: "It's not that we aren't living right, we're just not aware of how we're living. My whole thing is to make people focus. I've done some fucked-up shit, and I make myself think about it: 'Damn, why did I do that?' I think that's what my music does."
The crowd at Jones Beach rocks to "A.D.H.D.," vibing to the sound of a party where you're drunk and high and a little upset without quite knowing why, and you sense that everyone around you feels the same—a kinship born of shared solitude. But it's a tenuous connection, and so you keep smoking and drinking in hopes that the feeling will last. Of course, it can't and it won't.
A Wiz crowd is high. They're not finna participate in nothing. They just want to listen and feel good.
The moment passes and the spark goes out. After finishing a few more songs, Lamar leaves, clearing the way for Mac Miller to do what he does. Back in the bus, he changes from his stage clothes into a button-up with Looney Tunes characters—Bugs, Taz, and Daffy—peeking out from the breast pocket. It's the sort of thing someone could've purchased from the Warner Bros. Studio Store at their local mall in the '90s, when malls still had Warner Bros. Studio stores. (Section.80 will remember.) "A Wiz crowd is high," Lamar says of the lackluster response. "They're not finna participate in nothing, they just want to listen and feel good."
Ultimately, Lamar's music doesn't offer many moments to just feel good. Something else is always happening below the surface, and you can't shake the nagging feeling that you need to pay closer attention. The details of his narratives resonate most with a particular audience—those '80s babies, glutted on TV and Adderall. They've shared similar experiences, have the same points of reference, and though many of their vices encourage superficial engagement, one of their own is making music that requires a slower pace and a deeper commitment.
He tells one last story before the night is over, a story about "Keisha's Song" from Section.80. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a teenage girl who becomes a prostitute. Across three verses, he narrates her struggle—and even connects her back-seat exploits to Rosa Parks—moving the listener from Long Beach Boulevard to the car interiors where she turns tricks, before describing her murder at the hands of a john. It's an amazing, heartbreaking song. And then, before the last repetition of the hook, he emerges from the story to reveal the artifice behind it, like a magician coming out from behind the curtain: "My little sister eleven, I looked her right in the face/The day that I wrote this song, set her down and pressed play."
So did it work? Did she understand?
"I can't say that she understood what I was talking about," he says, sounding untroubled, even a little amused. "She likes a good song, but she's young. It might be a little too introspective for her. She understood where I was coming from, as far as a big brother and having respect for me."
Those who need good kid, m.A.A.d city the most exist in a sweet spot that even a member of Lamar's own family has yet to reach. Those anxious for the LP, an audience ranging from Dre to Lady Gaga, will receive it like a tonic. For those looking for something more fun, or immediate, look to Lamar's sister. She hasn't grown into the music yet, but someday she'll catch up.
And when she does, her brother's music will be waiting.
This feature is a part of Complex's "good kid, m.A.A.d city" Week.

subset: commoncrawl


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Training operators as early as the construction phase
Virtual reality (VR) refers to computer technologies that simulate a real environment for users. Until now, it has been mainly associated with video gaming. However, Linde has now adapted this technology for the field of industrial-scale plant engineering. "We can use this application early on in the project lifecycle to train operators who will later be working in the real facility," explains Mostertz. The technology can also be used to immediately visualise design changes during a plant's planning phase and show these modifications to the customer. The virtual application is being unveiled to the public for the first time at the Gastech trade show.
The inner workings of a coldbox
Users can put on a VR headset and use a hand-held controller to explore all of the module's platforms and study its valves and compressors from every angle. They can even step inside process components such as heat exchangers and coldboxes – something that would not be possible in real life. The buttons on the controller can be used to take small steps forward or even giant leaps through the virtual world, enabling users to jump on and off coldboxes, for example. In a different mode, users can shrink the entire plant to the size of a human being. They can then view the plant from the outside or walk into it, bend down and look into all levels.
Users can also navigate by taking actual steps and changing direction in the real world. These actions are translated in real time into identical movements in the virtual world. However, users have to move within a clearly defined area inside a room. The system also comes with an in-built safety mechanism because the VR headset disconnects users from their actual surroundings. If a user gets close to the edge of this designated area, a blue fence flashes up on the VR headset, warning users not to go any further in that direction. They can, however, continue to virtually click their way through the plant using the buttons on the controller.
"The VR simulation is based on the extremely detailed CAD files that we created while designing the module," explains Julien Brunel, Head of Digitalisation at Linde Engineering. The company also wants its VR technology to be mobile. The hardware (primarily the VR headset and a very powerful laptop) fits into a specially modified hard shell case that Linde specialists will be able to take to customers in future. Any changes to the design of a plant can be immediately shown and verified in 3D using this technology.
Further innovations on the horizon
Following on from the virtual reality application, the Digital Base Camp is now working on new innovations. This department focuses on using data intelligently to drive digitalisation across the company. It aims, for instance, to further improve Group-internal processes and develop new services for customers. Predictive maintenance is a prime example here. In future, Linde wants to be able to predict when a component is likely to fail. To do this, it uses algorithms to evaluate data that sensors have been gathering in industrial plants for many years now. Past service incidents can be used to calculate the probability of future events. Technicians could then replace individual components in advance and minimise downtime for the entire plant. "Digitalisation will change our business and the way we work in the field of plant engineering for good," explains Dr Christian Bruch, member of the Linde AG Executive Board responsible for the Engineering Division and for the Technology & Innovation Group function . "By harnessing our data, we can offer our customers completely new services and opportunities."
"We have to use our data creatively"
Four questions for Philipp Karmires, Head of Digitalisation at The Linde Group. The former Google manager and his team developed the virtual reality application at Linde's new Digital Base Camp in Pullach.
What role does virtual reality (VR) play in The Linde Group's digital strategy?
Virtual reality is one of many applications that can be rapidly developed and delivered when we implement our strategy systematically. It took us just three months to create the solution we are showcasing now at Gastech. It's important for us to show that virtual reality isn't just a video game for engineers but that it can add real value to our customers.
What benefits does VR bring to your customers?
It enables them to train their future operators before a plant has even been finished. The Amur gas processing plant featured in our VR application at Gastech is still under construction. But we can already take a detailed look at every valve, every compressor and every pipe – from any angle. Users can squeeze themselves into narrow spaces to find out where they will have to duck in future so they won't hit their heads. Taking a virtual trip through the plant feels so real that employees will be able to intuitively navigate their way around the real facility later. Some VR testers even felt a bit dizzy looking down from the top of the coldbox.
Do you also want to use virtual reality to support sales?
It certainly is a possibility. We've made the VR application so mobile that it now fits into a case our employees can take on the road. We call it our "plant in a box". They could then use this technology when visiting customers to assemble standard plants in the virtual world using premanufactured modules.
What is at the heart of your digitalisation strategy?
Everything we do or consider here is centred on one question: How can we use the data that Linde already has to help our customers and create new business opportunities? We are lucky at Linde because we have a vast treasure of digital assets. For example, we have detailed CAD files for every project, and we were able to use these to develop the virtual reality application. In addition to this, many thousands of sensors in our plants across the globe have been gathering extremely detailed data on the status of components for many years now. In future, we want to harness this information to develop predictive maintenance capabilities. In other words, we want to make forecasts that accurately predict when a component is likely to fail. We have the data and we can access the computing power – we just have to use this data creatively.


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Greetings, Class of 2011. My, don't you all look so grown up in your elegant caps and gowns and iPods blasting out Death Cab for Cutie at full volume. It seems only yesterday that you were stumbling around in Huggies and toddler booties and iPods blasting out Raffi at full volume. Graduation Day is upon us for millions of American college seniors like you. As has been my tradition for the past 17 years about this time, this week's post is my annual Advice to you, the College Graduating Class of 2011.
My advice to you? Don't pay attention to anyone who tries to give you advice…. except for the advice I am about to share, of course. It's important that you make your own choices in life. So make good ones. In looking back on the choices I made in my youth, I realize I made some poor ones now and then. If I had it to do over again, I wished I hadn't taken three years of Latin in high school. I'm not Catholic so becoming Pope is probably out of the question. So exactly when would I ever have used it? Never.
I also should never have taken Post-Modern Latvian Studies in college. That [#bleep#]-ing bastard Professor Yuri Švābe was a cruel old son of a bitch. I wish he would die a painful, wrenching death for totally messing up my GPA… I mean, er, um, I found him to be rather draconian in his grading methodology. Perhaps most of all, I deeply regret rooming with Tony Markowitz of Monmouth, New Jersey for two years in college. Not only was he a complete slob and never did the dishes, but he always smelled like bass and routinely ate my Lucky Charms cereal without asking. I urge you to learn from my youthful mistakes.
For many people, a college education is an important prerequisite to a financially rewarding and meaningful career. Take me, for example. I was fortunate enough to make it into a nationally ranked university (University of Virginia – it ranked #1 in Lacrosse this year). I earned mostly good grades and followed that up with two post-graduate degrees (Advanced Post-Modern Latvian Studies and Super-Advanced Ultra Post-Modern Latvian Studies). And as a result of all my hard work and dedication, years later, I have this humor blog to show for all my effort. Okay, perhaps, that's not actually helping me drive home the importance of a college education.
So now you are a college graduate. Congratulations. You might have heard through the grapevine that I took Latin in high school. So I decided to look up the Latin etymology of the word "graduate." You may be surprised to learn that it comes from the Latin "gradus" meaning "step" and "u-ate" which is the past tense of "u eat". So it literally means "steps having been eaten by you" or more simply put, "you ate steps." Guess that third year of Latin paid off after all.
As you transition into the next chapter of your life (known as unemployment) set your goals high. Don't let others tell you what you're capable of. On the Internet Highway of Life, don't settle for "basic cable". Go for the platinum plan, with 400 channels, the one with India's All-Access Mumbai Cricket League and the Cambridge University Chess Channel.
Time for some positive self-talk. Look in the mirror and remind yourself that YOU are precisely what employers are looking for right now in this wide open job market: a low-achieving, drunken college graduate with no experience, no motivation and no discernible skills other than being the proud owner of the high score in Halo 3 in your fraternity house three years running. You deserve that $80,000/year job – don't forget the stock options. Employers should be lining up to snag someone of your talents and ambition. But first, get back to the second half of your Madden NFL Football game against Jeremy on the X-Box. You're only down by a touchdown, and your Econ final is not for another two hours.
I would now like to say a special word for each of you graduates, so please come closer to the screen. First, a word to those of you who finished in the top 15% of your class: The rest of you, just scroll down a couple paragraphs and we'll catch up in a bit.
Hey, top 15% students! Nice job compiling a 3.8 GPA. Look at you on the left there, studying in the stacks until the library closes at midnight. Nice job on your senior thesis about class and religious warfare in Northern Waziristan. You have nothing to worry about from those other turkeys below who hopefully are not reading this section. Most of you will go to a top flight grad school so you don't actually have to look for a boring entry-level job next year like those other boneheads. Be sure to suck up to mom and dad big time and you might get them to pony up another 50 Grand for that MBA program at Wharton you plan to apply to. Remember, Father's Day is next weekend. Take Dad out for golf. Let him win. Compliment his putting game before you mention grad school.
Now a private word for the vast majority of you who finished in the middle of the pack: Moo. Hello, members of the herd. Okay so you only finished college with a GPA somewhere between 2.6 and 3.4. You didn't exactly hit the ball out of the park. But you didn't strike out looking either. At least it's not like you're one of those losers in the next paragraph. You can be anything you want to be, so long as what you want to be involves looking for a job for the next 10 months and then settling for an entry level clerical job in a 6' x 6' cubicle and a title of "Administrative Assistant" or "Mailroom Specialist" that pays $8.25 an hour. Still you probably could make it into a second rate grad school to pursue a master's degree in Ancient Greek Metallurgical Techniques. Yeah, that will open up a lot of doors. Good thinking, Einstein.
And finally, a very special word for you brainiacs who finished in the bottom 15%. That's you on the left. Your parents must be so proud. So what if you finished school with a 1.9 GPA and your only academic achievement was that you completed your computer science term paper on time despite being totally hung over. Can't believe your statistics professor gave you only a D- on your field research project: "Las Vegas Field Study: The Effects of Alcohol on the Probability of Winning at Black Jack."
Oh, and nice move signing up for all those courses that grade based solely on group projects. It's not like you did not contribute to the team. Someone had to make those beer runs. Some cynics might tell you your job prospects look a little dim. Don't believe them. The world ahead of you is bursting with opportunity. Of course, when I say "bursting with opportunity" what I mean is any job that involves asking people if they'd "like fries with that" or you're particularly handy with a forklift. Take comfort in the knowledge that there are thousands of parents all over the world every bit as disappointed in their offspring as yours are.
Graduation day is your big day to bask in the sun – the crowning achievement of your illustrious college career. Hopefully your hangover from last night's toga party won't prevent you from making it to your graduation ceremony before your name is called. Let me give you some helpful advice to make sure your big day goes smoothly: First, if you resume consciousness in time, change out of your toga and slip into something a bit more 21st century. For guys, pants would be nice. Watch your step as you shuffle inebriatedly to the podium to accept your diploma. That third step to the stage can be tricky.
When you receive your diploma, don't thrust the University Chancellor on top of the podium, hold her in your arms and shout at the top of your lungs "I'm King of the World." You're not Leonardo DiCaprio. She's not Kate Winslet. Finally, when you walk off the stage, don't flip the bird to Professor Yuri Švābe, your Post-Modern Latvian Studies teacher and don't shout "And you thought you could stop me from graduating, you son of a bitch." I can't emphasize this point enough.
In closing, as you think about your future ahead, remember to lead your life with integrity. Follow your passion. Set your own course. Don't let others tell you what to do or who to be. Live a life of compassion for others. Make the world you live in better for those around you and for those who come after you. Ah, who am I kidding? Let some other sap save the world and feed the homeless. Your success in life can be measured by the square footage of your vacation home and the value of your 401K portfolio.
Here's a simple test: If by age 27 you're living in a high rise flat in the financial district of Geneva, Switzerland, you're probably a success. If, on the other hand, at age 27 you're still living at home with mom and dad in the same bedroom you grew up in and you still have that Dirty Dancing movie poster on your wall, and if your model of the Star Trek Starship Enterprise you assembled in 8th grade using LEGO blocks is still on display next to your lava lamp, you're almost certainly a failure. Any questions?
In conclusion, let me leave you with this inspirational quote from my high school Latin teacher, Mr. van den Berg, who once said, and I quote, "Tutti le verita sono facile da capire, una volte che vengono scoperti, il punto e quello di scoprire loco." What does it mean? I have no clue. Turns out it's an Italian quote. I don't know Italian. I had to take three frickin years of Latin instead! Sorry. I can't help you here.
So instead, let me just say, "Carpe Diem!" (That's Latin for "seize the carp".)
That's the view from the bleachers. Perhaps I'm off base.
© Tim Jones, View from the Bleachers 2011


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The Cubs have done it again. I walk away from my desk for a second, and poof... The Rockies seven run lead goes bye-bye. If the Cubs keep this up, there might not be any whiners left. (Though Philly's recent commemorating 100 seasons of sports futility comes close).
I tried to find a picture of a dead goat to post, which was the second dumbest thing I've ever done on GoogleImages. (Ranking behind only this)


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The City of Oviedo does not provide cemetery spaces.
Show All Answers
Registration cards are available at the City Clerk's office located on the first floor of City Hall. After filling the cards out, they are to be mailed to the Supervisor of Elections office at 1500 E. Airport Boulevard, Sanford, FL 32773.
You can also visit the Supervisor of Election's office at the same address.
For additional information regarding voter registration, call 407-585-8683, or visit the Supervisor of Elections website.
City Council meetings are held the first and third Monday of each month, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The meetings are held in the City Council Chambers, located on the first floor of City Hall, 400 Alexandria Boulevard in Oviedo.
For more information about these meetings, you may contact the City Clerk's office at 407-971-5500.
You may request the Address Application Form by visiting the GIS Division office located on the second floor of City Hall (400 Alexandria Boulevard).You may also call their office at 407-971-5510. The GIS Division is responsible for addressing property and has information regarding ownership of property within the City of Oviedo.
For property outside the City limits, you may contact the Seminole County Property Appraiser's office at 407-665-7506.
The Building Department, located on the first floor of the Annex Building, 320 Alexandria Boulevard, is responsible for issuing building permits. For more information you can call 407-971-5755.
The City of Oviedo does not maintain street lights or electricity service within the City. Depending on the location of the street light within the City limits, there are two different companies that handle street lights (and consequently all power related utilities). A simple way to determine which company to call is as follows:
If you are unsure on which company to call, either company can direct you to the appropriate authority if they are not responsible for the street light. If all else fails, feel free to call the City of Oviedo Public Works Department at 407-971-5668 for assistance. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
To report a problem or to schedule collection of bulk items, contact Waste Pro of Florida, Inc. at 407-774-0800.
You may contact the Customer Service Department directly at 407-971-5535.
Filing for homestead exemptions is done through the Seminole County Property Appraiser's Office. The Seminole County Property Appraiser's Office is located at 1101 E. 1st Street in Sanford. You may contact them by calling 407-665-7506.
Office HoursMonday to Friday8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
You may obtain a Florida driver's license at the Division of Motor Vehicles Office located at 104 Wilshire Boulevard in Casselberry. You may contact them by calling Phone: 407-665-1000.
The Seminole County Tax Collector has an office in Lake Mary at 845 Primera Boulevard. The hours of operation for the facility in Lake Mary are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. For answers to your questions, please call 407-665-1000.
The Oviedo - Winter Springs Regional Chamber of Commerce is located at 376 N. Central Avenue in Oviedo.Mailing AddressP. O. Box 621236Oviedo, FL 32762Phone: 407-365-6500
The Post Office is located at 83 Geneva Drive in Oviedo. You may contact them by calling 407-971-6213.Hours of OperationMonday through Friday9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m.Saturday10 a.m. through 12:00 p.m.
Tangible: The tax form for this items can be found at the Seminole County Property Appraiser's Office located at 1101 E. 1st Street in Sanford. You may contact them at 407-665-7506.Office HoursMonday to Friday8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Recreation and Parks Department is responsible for taking reservations for all City parks and buildings. Please fill out this form to submit your request. ONLINE FACILITY BOOKING INQUIRY


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Kaw River State Park
Welcome to Kaw River State Park
The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks invites the public to attend the opening of Kansas' newest state park, the Kaw River State Park, on Saturday, Sept. 4. The celebration will begin at 8 a.m. with the "Race for the Kaw," a 4-mile walk/run sponsored by the Topeka Sunflower Striders. All proceeds will benefit Let's Help, an organization that helps families struggling with poverty.
At 10:30 a.m., Gov. Mark Parkinson and his wife Stacy will address visitors and then dedicate the Kaw River Access Road at 11:30 a.m. This will be followed by dedication of the Kaw River boat ramp and a canoe flotilla on the Kansas River.
Visitors may participate by renting canoes for $25. To reserve a canoe, phone Friends of the Kaw at 913-963-3460.
For more information about the dedication, phone KDWP at 785-273-6740.


text: MESSAGES Loading Content... Share a Link to this Message The link has been copied to your clipboard; paste it anywhere you would like to share it. Close - Browse Series - ------------- View Series Archives View All Messages ------------- Women of the Word Sunday Morning Wednesday Evening Special Messages Ironworks - Browse Speakers - Sandy Adams Melissa Amatangelo Tim Amatangelo Debbi Ashbaugh Loren Bergstrom Ryan Borkan Blake Bridges Charlie Campbell Dave Chaffee Mary Kay Chizmar Sammy Clayton Adam Cowan Ken Daniels Mark DePenning Special Guest Chris Hampton Adam Hawthorne Tiffany Hawthorne Leah Hayes George Hernandez Harry Innerst Bill James Bill James Nora Lanphere Sue LeBoutillier Randy Lucero Keli Lucero Brian Moreno Bob Moston Heidi O'Daniel Tony Perdomo Michelle Perdomo Mike Pratt Alex Pratt Allen Rigg Chasen Rodgers Erin Rypkema Maureen Schaffer Tim Scorziell Christine Scorziell No Speaker Keith Stevens Bill Welsh Peter Wilcox Clare Wilcox Jeri Young - Browse Topics - 1 Chronicles- The Faithfulness of God! 1 Corinthians 1 John 1 Kings 1 Peter 1 Peter: Standing Firm In A Hostile World! 1 Samuel 1 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Chronicles 2 Corinthians 2 John 2 Kings 2 Peter 2 Peter 2 Peter: Standing Firm On Challenged Ground 2 Samuel 2 Thessalonians 2 Timothy 3 John Acts Calvary Chapel Distinctives Christmas Christmas 2023: From Darkness Into Light Christmas Eve Christmas In The Minor Prophets Christmas Through The Eyes Of Jesus Daniel Easter Series 2020 Easter Series 2022 Easter Series 2023 Ecclesiastes - Life: Meaningless Ephesians Esther Exodus Ezekiel: The Glory Of God Ezra Fit For The King Galatians General Topic Genesis Guest Speaker Habakkuk Haggai Hebrews Holy Week Hosea: I Will Never Give Up On You Isaiah Isaiah: Judgement & Salvation Israel War 2023 James James Jeremiah: Messages To A Backsliding Nation Job John Jonah Joseph Joshua Jude Judges Judges Kingdom Culture Lamentations Lessons In The Life of Joshua Leviticus Luke Malachi Mark Mathew Matthew Mission: Possible! Nehemiah Night Of Worship Philemon Philippians Power From On High Proverbs Psalms Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs Q&A Sunday Reflecting God Revelation Revelation Romans Ruth Salt & Light Servant Leadership Song of Solomon: Love, Longing, & Purity Special Service Stand Firm Thanksgiving The Church The Prison Epistles The Way Of Jesus: Living The Sermon On The Mount The Women In Scripture The Words of Jesus Titus Titus Titus: A Counter-Cultural Gospel Topical Various Vision Sunday What If? Whatever Things: A Study of Philippians Randy Lucero - January 22, 2023 2 Peter 3:10-14 - Living In Light Of His Coming, Pt. 1: Holiness & Godliness Watch Listen Related Topics: 2 Peter: Standing Firm On Challenged Ground | More Messages from Randy Lucero | Download Audio From Series: "Sunday Morning" Facebook Tweet Link Share Link Send Email More Messages June 25, 2023 1 Timothy 4:11-16 - Living In The Age of Apostasy, Pt. 3: "A Growing Minister of Jesus Christ" Randy Lucero Watch Listen June 24, 2023 Ironworks - How Is Your Ministry Doing? Harry Innerst Watch Listen June 21, 2023 2 Chronicles 8-9 - Solomon's Earthly Success! Randy Lucero Watch Listen June 18, 2023 Jude-"Living in the Age of Apostacy, Pt.2.1 - Beware of Imposters" Peter Wilcox Watch Listen June 14, 2023 2 Chronicles 5-7 - Solomon Dedicates The Temple Randy Lucero Watch Listen June 11, 2023 1 Timothy 4:6-11 - Living In The Age of Apostasy, Pt. 2: "Serving Faithfully In The Age of Apostasy" Randy Lucero Watch Listen June 10, 2023 Ironworks - Becoming The Man... Harry Innerst Watch Listen June 7, 2023 2 Chronicles 3-4: Solomon's Greatest Work! Randy Lucero Watch Listen June 4, 2023 1 Timothy 4:1-5 - Living In The Age of Apostasy, Pt. 1: "Marks Of an Apostate" Randy Lucero Watch Listen Displaying 91-99 of 1740« Back 1…6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 …177More » Powered by Series Engine


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Here is something to consider: Do you think it would change your life if you were to read 3,650 chapters of the Bible over the course of the next year? Let me explain why I'm asking the question.
It was a little over a year ago that I discovered Professor Horner's Bible-Reading System. His system is intense: you read 10 chapters per day, every day, all year round. Not only that, but each of the 10 chapters you read in a day comes from a different book of the Bible. You do not study these chapters and over labor every word, but read at a good pace and count on repeated readings to do the same kind of work as fewer, slower readings. I have not followed the plan every day since then, but have enjoyed it for months at a time. Recently I've been doing the plan by listening to the Bible instead of reading. This provides 2 benefits: it redeems my commute and it also slows me down to a better pace (I tend to read too quickly).
A new year is approaching and I got to thinking about doing a program like this in some kind of community. I'm wondering if you'd be interested in banding together, perhaps linking up through Facebook over the course of the year.
Professor Horner's plan calls for 10 chapters per day. Spread over a year, that equals 3,650 chapters. So again, do you think it would change your life if over the next year you were to read or listen to 3,650 chapters of the Bible? That would mean that over 2012 calendar year you would read through (or listen through) all the Gospels four times, the Pentateuch twice, Paul's letters 4-5 times each, the Old Testament wisdom literature six times, all the Psalms at least twice, all the Proverbs as well as Acts a dozen times, and all the way through the Old Testament History and Prophetic books about 1.5 times.
The program is not for the feint-of-heart. But for those who have the time and those who are able to stick to it, there is a lot of joy in drinking from the biblical firehose in this way.
I have not yet decided if this will work, so this is not quite an invitation to join me. Rather, I am simply trying to gauge interest. So…would you be interested in banding together to do Professor Horner's plan with me in 2012? We can meet up via Facebook or some other network to share what we've been learning, to encourage one another, and so on. Leave a comment if you are at all interested.


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Golf & Tennis in Vero Beach and Indian River CountyIn Vero Beach, golf and tennis are a way of life. Indian River County offers a variety of public and private courses and courts for visitors and residents to enjoy. In fact, the many private communities in Vero Beach with professionally designed golf courses have helped to make this area one of the premier locations for Florida golf course homes. Public Tennis Courts
Public Golf Courses
Private Golf Courses


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One of the biggest encouragements to us, as we look at living on the road throughout New Zealand, is meeting families who have done it.
Not just for 6 or 12 months but 10 - 15 years: raising children, cooking, cleaning, earning a living, educating their own etc.
These are the folks whose lives are more than just a proof of concept - they are the pillars of travelling (and staying sane) success.
These are the people we want to share their stories, right here; so others can be inspired to move towards their dreams too.
Just last weekend we had the privilege of a chance meeting with Sharyn at the Original Gypsy Fair. Actually everything seemed a little co-incidental.
Our only plans were to check out the Summerset in the Vines Fair but instead all turned up at the Gypsy Fair at the same time (the family was split between activities in 2 different towns; and had said 'no' to a third). We casually glanced at the house buses/trucks for sale board and noted down 2 to check out later, then went off to look around together (aka play 'chase the children').
Atlas got talking to a carver and bought a beautiful bone celtic cross necklace, in part as the carver's work generally reminded him of that which his grandfather, that he lost this year, had crafted. While chatting away the carver recommended we talk to the lady from Pilgrim Threads as she had travelled with 6 children; so off we stomped. Yes, SIX CHILDREN.
Then we discovered that one of the buses for sale was hers. She was full of anecdotes and stories of her family's lifestyle that drew me closer to believing we could do this. We even went back the next day just to talk to her again.
Beyond the technical aspects of what one will travel in, are the equally important or (to me) more important facets of everyday family life that knowing about lessens the potentially traumatic transition from a static home to one on wheels.
We also learnt that the glass-blower had travelled Australia for 13 years with their family so we called in there too, but just to ask if they would share their story.
So please folks, share your stories. You don't know how much they support, encourage and inspire other's dreams. Dreams that at times seem very out of reach.
If you know of a family who have or are travelling please share this opportunity with them too.
Download our interview prompts to help you tell your story.
Image credit: The Press online


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Emomali Rahmon, who's been the leader of Tajikistan since 1992, has some strong opinions about names:
"I pay close attention to surnames and names when I appoint anyone to a leading post in the government," Mr Rahmon told a group of children in speech televised on national TV.
"Sometimes, reading surnames can make one shudder," he said.
"For example, Gurgakov comes from the word 'wolf'. Janjoliyev derives from the word 'conflict'," said Mr Rahmon, the father of seven daughters and two sons.
Names must be beautiful because they play an important role in determining a person's destiny from birth, he said.
"How can you name a person after a wolf?"
Currently, Rahmon is trying to get his country to adopt regulations that would greatly restrict birth names.
The proposed amendments to Tajikistan's civil-registry law would make it illegal to "register names that are incorrect or alien to the local culture, including names denoting objects, flora and fauna, as well as names of Arabic origin."
In fact, some registrars have already begun rejecting these types of names.
The part about banning Arabic-origin names has gotten a lot of attention because Tajikistan is overwhelmingly Muslim, and most of the popular baby names in the country right now are of Arabic origin: Sumayah, Asiya, Aisha, Muhammad, Yusuf, Abubakr, etc. (Rahmon's own name would't have passed muster under the new law — Emomali is derived from "Imam Ali.")
Ultimately, Rahmon is interested in promoting (forcing?) the usage of "pure Tajik" names, including those from classical Persian literature. Examples of this type of name include Dilafruz, Firdaus, Firuz, Rustam and Tahmina.
Hopefully the ethnic Uzbeks that make up 15% of Tajikistan's population won't be forced to use Tajik names as well…
Sources: President scared by baby names, Tajikistan Mulls Ban on Muslim Names, Tajiks weigh ban on 'bad names'
P.S. The woman who would have been Rahmon's most serious opposition candidate in the 2013 election (if she'd been allowed to run) has a very interesting first name: Oinihol (also spelled Oynihol). Anybody know anything about it?


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Related links:
Climate Changes with Latitude
Places far from the equator receive less sunlight than places close to the equator. The amount of sunlight and the amount of precipitation affects the types of plants and animals that can live in a place.
The equator of our planet received the most sunlight. The sunlight makes this area very warm. The types of ecosystems that develop in this warm environment are:
- Rainforests: Theres a lot of rain in a rainforest and the temperature stays warm all year long.
- Savanna: This ecosystem has a wet season and a very dry season.
- Deserts: There is very little rain in deserts and they are very warm.
The area between the warm equator and the chilly poles is called the mid latitudes. Climates in this zone are affected by both warm, tropical air moving towards the poles and cold, polar air moving towards the equator.
- Chaparrel: This ecosystem has wet-winters and dry-summers.
- Grasslands This ecosystem is typically found on the dry interior of continents.
- Temperate forest: A moist climate allows leafy trees to thrive.
High latitudes receive the least sunlight, creating cold climates.
- Taiga: The forests of the taiga ecosystem survive despite long and very cold winters. Summers are short and still quite cool.
- Tundra: Ocean winds in arctic coastal areas keep the temperatures from
being too harsh.


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Try the following:
- Follow the setup guide in the application1
- If the setup guide does not solve the problem:
- If your network is not visible, refer to "My network is not visible in the network dropdown list".
- Make sure your wireless network name (SSID) does not include special characters such as " ', %, &, ?, +, =, …" or non-ASCII characters. They are not supported by the WLAN adapter.
- Make sure to use a compatible security setting. The WLAN adapter supports only WPA or WPA2 personal encryption. WEP encryption is not supported.
1 The setup guide ("Add adapter") can be accessed through the main menu.


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Diagramming in Xournal and Gimp
Two people have asked me how drew the diagrams for my previous post You Could Have Invented Zippers, and I figured I'd share it with a little more elaboration to the world, since it's certainly been a bit of experimentation before I found a way that worked for me.
Diagramming software for Linux sucks. Those of you on Mac OS X can churn out eye-poppingly beautiful diagrams using OmniGraffle; the best we can do is some dinky GraphViz output, or maybe if we have a lot of time, a painstakingly crafted SVG file from Inkscape. This takes too long for my taste.
So, it's hand-drawn diagrams for me! The first thing I do is open my trusty Xournal, a high-quality GTK-based note-taking application written by Denis Auroux (my former multivariable calculus professor). And then I start drawing.
Actually, that's not quite true; by this time I've spent some time with pencil and paper scribbling diagrams and figuring out the layout I want. So when I'm on the tablet, I have a clear picture in my head and carefully draw the diagram in black. If I need multiple versions of the diagram, I copy paste and tweak the colors as I see fit (one of the great things about doing the drawing electronically!) I also shade in areas with the highlighter tool. When I'm done, I'll have a few pages of diagrams that I may or may not use.
From there, it's "File > Export to PDF", and then opening the resulting PDF in Gimp. For a while, I didn't realize you could do this, and muddled by using scrot to take screen-shots of my screen. Gimp will ask you which pages you want to import; I import all of them.
Each page resides on a separate "layer" (which is mildly useless, but not too harmful). I then crop a logical diagram, save-as the result (asking Gimp to merge visible layers), and then undo to get back to the full screen (and crop another selection). When I'm done with a page, I remove it from the visible layers, and move on to the next one.
When it's all done, I have a directory of labeled images. I resize them as necessary using convert -resize XX% ORIG NEW and then dump them in a public folder to link to.
Postscript. Kevin Riggle reminds me not to mix green and red in the same figure, unless I want to confuse my color blind friends. Xournal has a palette of black, blue, red, green, gray, cyan, lime, pink, orange, yellow and white, which is a tad limiting. I bet you can switch them around, however, by mucking with predef_colors_rgba in src/xo-misc.c


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I'm interested in modeling human brain spiking activity.
Are there cases in which neural spiking completely ceases in an organism and yet later resumes?
I've considered:
hypothermic drowning, but medical reports (e.g., here) on the topic suggest that recording a patients' EEG or other indicators of spiking activity is not a priority when trying to revive a patient.
cryptobiosis, but haven't found any relevant studies.


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December 3, 2009
Andrew Farah
Adam Carolla and Andrew Farah talk Chevrolet Volt. They get into the details of the new platform as well as take her for a spin. Back to the Lambo's with Amgad's 1984 Lamborghini Countach S. This week on user calls and we talk about imported cars that we can't have then pop to the Bubble Boy. Special guest Christoph Waltz from Inglourious Bastards tells us about his first couple of rides. Enjoy!
Check out more GTO info at Chevrolet Voltage
Download CarCast Episode Here (Click Me!)
Quick Links
Quick Link to Guest Car, Chevy Volt
Quick Link to Christoph Walt's First Car
Quick Link to Amgad's Lamborghini Countach S
Image Gallery
[nggallery id=45]


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Apparently Steve Wasserman believes that "The best reading experience is to occupy your time with the worthy dead rather than the ambitious living."
This remark (actually among the first words to come out of Wasserman's mouth during the Open Source interview) certainly tells us a great deal about why the Los Angeles Times Book Review has never fulfilled its promise, or really even come close to being a reliable guide to contemporary letters.
The truth is pretty close to exactly the opposite of what Wasserman would have us believe. Not only is it the case that, as Ed Champion has put it, "the very form of the novel has evolved precisely because of efforts from the ambitious living" (one could say the same thing about other literary forms as well), but the "worthy dead" were probably the most intensely "ambitious" writers one could imagine--not necessarily ambitious for worldly success (although many would have no doubt gladly accepted it) but, because until the mid-nineteenth century (at the earliest) financial success as we would define it was more or less unthinkable (not enough readers), for "literary immortality." The great writers of the past literally wanted their work to survive through the ages, as testimony to their "success" as literary masters. (Remember the first stanza of Paradise Lost?: "Sing, Heav'nly Muse. . .I thence/Invoke thy aid to my advent'rous Song,/That with no middle flight intends to soar/Above th' Anonian Mount, while it pursues/Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhyme." How audacious to think your poem could successfully "justify the ways of God to men"!)
Furthermore, one suspects that Wasserman finds reading the "worthy dead" the best way to occupy his time precisely because it doesn't have to be an overly strenuous "reading experience." After all, these writers have already been pronounced "worthy"; all one has to do is nod sagely while passively absorbing all the greatness previous generations of readers have been kind enough to pre-determine for you. What a nice way to pass a rainy day. Some people might even be impressed with your good taste and admirable discernment.
In fact, the best (defined as "challenging") reading experience is precisely to read the "ambitious living." Judgments have yet to be reached about these folks; their work has to be explored and assessed. Some of it even strikes out in directions with which one is unfamiliar, and requires more than ordinary concentration. This sort of writing has yet to be certified as Literature, and while reading it might not provide the same sense of security that one's experience will be "worthy," it does test one's ability to comprehend what makes literature literary in the first place.
Ultimately, Wasserman's pronouncement is at least as condescending to the "worthy dead" as it is to the "ambitious living." It implies that their work is safely ensconced in the collective literary mausoleum, no longer embroiled in the petty concerns of the living. It expresses a view of Literature that only makes living readers less likely to be interested in the literature of the past, held out by the likes of Wasserman as something so much grander than what the puny present could produce. Younger readers especially recoil (justifiably so) at such a display of supercilious superiority (itself so thoroughly unjustified). In my opinion, if the literary work of the "worthy dead" is perceived as detached from the affairs of the present, with nothing to say to those who must live in it--and in many cases this is simply not the case--it doesn't have much value to anyone. It's not what is passed on to us from the worthy dead. It's just dead.