Green Oasis

Even though the idea of an ethnic homeland has caused untold suffering, I connect with Matisyahu’s song Jerusalem. Jerusalem represents for me the promised land of human destiny, the ideal human community for which I hope. May I never forget that goal, or may my right hand forget what it’s supposed to do.

The Ring and I: The Passion, The Myth, The Mania (via kottke.org), a radio program about Wagner’s Ring cycle, makes the operas sound like an epic retelling of mankind’s history—of each individual’s history, a transformative community ritual like the Greek mystery cult rituals, Freemasonic initiations, or the Mormon Endowment. The initiate enters the darkened ritual hall, passes through harrowing trials, and dies only to be reborn into the world of light, remade in the image of their gods. Opera as mystery cult.

Der Ring des Nibelungen, all twenty hours, is now in my Netflix queue.

My teabag advised me today that “Anything too stupid to be said is sung.” (Voltaire)

It’s funny because just yesterday I heard I Can Tell (You Wanna Fuck) for the first time. I burst out laughing. It’s a good thing I wasn’t drinking anything at the time. It still makes me laugh every time I think of someone saying this stuff with a straight face.

Let’s not forget My Humps by the Black Eyed Peas.

Voltaire was a smart man.

The embedded systems programmer in me dug the instruments used in this cover of Radiohead’s Nude.

Big Ideas (Don’t get any) from 1030 on Vimeo.

[via kottke.org]

It’s funny to think back on the controversy Madonna stirred up with her video for Like A Prayer. Some just couldn’t get past its burning crosses.

Update: Just for comparison, how about Heart-Shaped Glasses (NSFW) by Marilyn Manson?

Update 2: Actually, I meant to include Personal Jesus (also NSFW).