It's no Dutchess & The Duke (RIP) but I'm enjoying the somewhat reminiscent The Head and the Heart "Rivers and Roads." (also: their Daytrotter session)

From NPR: Alice Waters: 40 Years Of Sustainable Food

Happy Birthday to the amazing Howard Zinn, who died last year. A true hero.

Image: source.

Every outfit Cher Horowitz wears in Clueless in under 60 seconds. Exactly what it sounds like. Magic.

A recent article from the Times, The High Price of Looking Like a Woman, and commentary from Feministe

One thing I love about Fall (which is swiftly on it's way!) is wearing socks. I love socks - cozy socks, handmade socks, striped socks. So I'll take one of each of these please.

The remarkable lives on Newark sanitation truck No. 2646

NYTimes: Addressing the Justice: "The poor need representation in court and thousands of law school graduates need work. This shameful state of affairs is unnecessary."

Things I Love: Sam Cooke

Today, as I wrap up the work on the semester, I've returned to one of my all-time favorite singers to get me through - Sam Cooke. One of the first tapes I ever remember (maybe the first) was the Best of Sam Cooke tape that my dad had in his car, with a yellow, black, and white cover. From "You Send Me" to "Wonderful World," every single song on that tape is absolutely perfect. It was hard as a child to learn about his death, and the circumstances surrounding it, and I think that's one of the first times I realized that an artist could make amazing and beautiful contributions to the world, and still lead a troubled and complicated life. Now, having read a few Sam Cooke books, I have more respect for him than ever, as I understand more fully the challenges he faced and how revolutionary his artistic choices were. 

In Obama's acceptance speech, he borrowed a line from A Change Is Gonna Come and the song has taken on yet another layer of meaning for me. Sam Cooke's career was full of pop hits, powerful spirituals, and politically tinged observations - and it's a career that will live on, I hope, for many generations to come.

I was born by the river in a little tent
And just like that river I've been running ever since
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will

It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die
'Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will

I go to the movies and I go downtown
Somebody keep telling me, don't hang around
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

Then I go to my brother
And I say, brother, help me please
And he winds up knockin' me
Back down on my knees

There been times when I thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will...

See also:

Sam Cooke - Twistin' The Night Away
Sam Cooke - You Send Me

God only knows

Today's study music is tending towards the classical, notably two very different pieces: Bethovan's Symphony #9 in D minor (yes, I know more of it than just the overly-used but still incredible "Ode to Joy" section) and "Abandoned Wheel," a composition by contemporary composer Vardan Ovsepian. Both are excellent (in very different ways, of course).

Before finals began I had the chance to finish up the second season of Big Love.  Incredible stuff.  That show never ceases to amaze me.  When I tell people what the basic premise is (a man and his three wives in Utah) they always laugh, but the depth and compassion and humor with which the characters are written and portrayed really transcends the initial premise.  Every time I begin to write of Marjie as ditzy and annoying, or Nikki as conniving, or the kids as mere props, the show proves me wrong.  Definitely one of the best series of this decade.

Finally, I was really disappointed by this week's SNL, for a number of reasons.  First, I really like Paul Rudd and just didn't find him funny.  But most of all, I found almost the WHOLE show to be shockingly homophobic.  Now that the election is over, SNL had no where to go but 8th Grade "That's so gay!" jokes?  Apparently, I'm not the only one who noticed....

Things I Love: "The Reason Why" by Rachael Yamagata