Even More Items

More stuff from around:

• Profile of Bob Moses at Science News. Mr. Moses is a very interesting guy, a civil rights activist from the 1960s whose general idea for the past 25 years has been that the best way to help disadvantaged youth is to teach them algebra. Excerpt: Moses founded the Algebra Project in 1982 with funds from a MacArthur Foundation "genius grant" that he received for his work on voting rights. Initially, he focused on the goal of making sure that all students learn algebra, which he calls "the gatekeeper of citizenship." When students learn algebra, he says, they make a leap in their ability to manipulate abstract symbolic representations.
• NYT article on hip librarians. Excerpt: When talk turned to a dance party the group had recently given at a nearby restaurant, their profession became clearer. “Did you try the special drinks?” Sarah Gentile, 29, asked Jennifer Yao, 31, referring to the colorfully named cocktails. “I got the Joy of Sex,” Ms. Yao replied. “I thought for sure it was French Women Don’t Get Fat.” Ms. Yao could be forgiven for being confused: the drink was numbered and the guests had to guess the name. “613.96 C,” said Ms. Yao, cryptically, then apologized: “Sorry if I talk in Dewey.”
• Cleaning out links: Jigsaw Puzzle Gallery.
• Also, The National Museum of Funeral History.
• And, the Top Ten Punk Albums You've Never Heard.

Watching X Documentary

I'm watching a documentary from the mid-80s on the punk band X, titled X: The Unheard Music. X-cellent band, of course, but difficult to do keyword searches upon.

Here's a clip from this doc with X performing Soul Kitchen with their sometime producer, Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek:

Singing Los Angeles:

Exene in a silent film:

And here she is a couple years ago:

More Mashups

Dire Straits + Fergie

Madonna + Sex Pistols (My fave.)

Madonna + Depeche Mode

And, last but not least, Madonna + Britney:

Just a Few Things...

Several items:

• Study links intense Catholicism with high crime rates!
• Happy 25th anniversary to indie label Epitaph Records.
• Here's the Massive Resource List for All Autodidacts.
• Here's the early gestation of a movie script.

Chinese Punk Bands

I found a copy of this Washington Post article from this summer a little while ago. Excerpt: "Most bands are into punk because it's fashionable. They are more like copy bands, cover bands that copy the lifestyle. Punk rock should be more dangerous, more deep. You should establish your own style," said Yang, the lead singer of P.K. 14, which has a sizable following and performed Saturday night at a bar in Beijing's Wudaokou district. "We want to be a dangerous band, like Fugazi or The Clash or Bob Dylan. Woody Guthrie's folk music influenced me a lot," Yang said. "But because the government doesn't care about us, we are not forbidden from playing. Maybe we are not dangerous. It's sad."

• Lots of good stuff at Rock in China, including downloads and a blog.
• Anna Sophie Loewenberg has written quite a bit on this and related topics.

Demerit: