Endings and Beginnings

I'm retiring this blog, partially because its filled with a lot of pretentious wannabe music journalism and elitism that seems embarrassing on further reflection, but mostly because the name is unwieldy and silly.

The new blog can be found at http://BornfromtheCorn.blogspot.com.

Cheers.

Sweet, Sweet Non-Obscene Justice

http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/tuesday/news/ny-etfcc225772721jul22,0,364321.story

And justice is finally served. To summarize, the FCC has been royally violated by the appellate courts. Someone has finally stood up to the righteous bunch of morons and their little crusade to transform America into a nation of prudes. The court struck down the ridiculous fines imposed over the infamous Janet Jackson Super Bowl incident, which was no worse than what Lil Kim showed up to music awards wearing years ago. That received national media attention, so the Super Bowl isn't much worse. Sure, kids were watching, but better to see boring depravity with the whole family.

Of course, this won't slow down the FCC that much, I'm sure, at least until a change of administration. Thus, I'm linking to a video for Eric Idle's wonderfully NSFW FCC song: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3196375205651632554. Now one must wonder if the judge who brought this decision was the one with which Idle went duck hunting.

Origins

I've suddenly realized that I have never explained the origin of my blog's title.  Obviously its a reference to being a bit mad, in the same vein as "a few crayons short of a box."  Anyone who couldn't comprehend that already can stop reading now and go discover literacy and reading comprehension.

However, there's more to the name than just describing my mental state.  Its also a reference to the Queen song called "I'm Going Slightly Mad." The song is pure Freddie Mercury campiness, as he dramatically sings a long list of evidence and metaphors for his decent to insanity, quipping "Oh dear" in a way that further makes me wonder how anyone ever thought he was straight.  Within that list is the phrase "One wave short of a shipwreck."

Its a fun song, if not their greatest, but it was also a personal mantra of mine in high school.  As you can expect, I made sure that high school wasn't easy on me.  The song doesn't mean much to me anymore, but it still proves one of the earliest examples of music's therapeutic and essential place in my life.

The result is the title of the blog, music and madness combined, the way it works best.  Otherwise, you get Nickelback or Celine Dion.  Two reasons I still haven't forgiven Canada.

Returning to the Blog World: AKA "The horror, the horror"

I'm officially no longer a college student in any way, shape, or form.  Sure, I keep telling myself I might try graduate school, but really, for the time being I don't even want to look at a book that doesn't have the words "Hunter Thompson" somewhere on the cover.

After completing a hellaciously busy senior year and completing the king-hell achievement of completing a double-major in four years, no overtime, what am I doing with my life? Absolutely, positively, discombobulously zip.  It seems life may move pretty fast sometimes, but at the moment, sloths have more exciting lives.  At least they get to live in more interesting locations.

Not for lack of trying, of course.  My true dream is to somehow get away with a job that lets me actually enjoy what I do.  Unfortunately, since about the only thing I really enjoy is listening to music, that proves a problem.  I keep trying to find some internship or start anywhere related to music, whether working with a magazine or record label, or now PR houses apparently, but I've come up dry so far.  I really wish I was somebody that could easily settle for something less than what I truly want.

Since I'm still stuck in limbo and living life one dull day at a time, in one of the world's most whitebread cities, I've decided I should probably start writing somewhere again, that way I don't completely forget how to compose coherent sentences.  A blog seems the best place to keep up, though I think my readership was about 10 at most, and that was when people were forced to read it.  I'll probably be writing to myself, which either counts as a mental disorder or a diary.  I'd prefer the former, really.

Song: The Hold Steady- Stay Positive

Note: I'll revamp the profile information/blog look/food court when I get around to it.  Although that does require I either learn some coding or steal templates from somebody else.  Guess which is more likely to happen.

Sneaking up on Mr. Prez

Alright, so the title is from a Division of Laura Lee song and has barely any connection to the subject at hand, but I still like it.

Anyway, I now have two special treats. First is the letter to the editor response by our school's President, decrying my article posted here. Following that is my own response I'm having placed in the Opinions section right alongside the letter to the editor. I think the letters speak well for themselves. (Names have been omitted to protect the inflammatory.

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

I think some comments are in order on Gabriele -------’s article “Converting Television: The New Catholic Channel.”

I’m not surprised the Catholic Channel doesn’t hold his interest. It isn’t meant to be entertainment, and college students are not its primary target market. In our culture, we are more and more seeing “entertainment” as the primary benchmark to judge the worth of all communication. I think our Core Curriculum shows that entertainment isn’t the only or even primary purpose for communication, at least not in serious books, films, or TV programs. The Catholic Channel targets viewers seeking to increase their capacity to know, love, and serve God. If you are not into that, then I suspect the programming won’t hold you.

Although there is much more that could be said, I would like to mention two points that make me rather sad. The first is about Communion hosts. In Dachau, the Nazis had a special “Priest Block” numbered 25487. It contained about 3,000 Catholic priests and some other clergy at any one time on their way to death. How many frightened men in trembling fear consecrated a bit of stale bread from dinner so Jesus could be with them as they passed into eternity? Finally there is Mr. -----’s “Amazonian Nun.” I hope this isn’t an oblique reference to Sr. Dorothy ----- who received posthumously an honorary degree from SJC. Upperclassmen will recall Sr. Dorothy was murdered with a gunshot to the head by a hired killer while she sat in the dirt reading her Bible. She was an activist nun trying to save the Brazilian rain forest and its indigenous people. Our award was to recognize her martyrdom.

Editorials like “Converting Television…” attempt humor by mocking others and their beliefs. It is a difficult way to get laughs because it relies on bigotry as do jokes about gays, women, and minority people. Such material often backfires as the audience widens. To some extent, it reminds me of the bigoted humor of the early part of the 20^th Century when we Catholics were often hated and ridiculed for our Faith.

As President and thus publisher of “-----------,” I apologize to any readers who might have been hurt and/or offended by “Converting Television: The New Catholic Channel.”

Sincerely,
-----------------
November 12, 2007

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Since it was my article that has inspired some controversy, I thought it prudent to better explain it and myself.

First of all, I was in no way thinking of Dorothy ----, or any nun in general, when I wrote of the Amazonian Nun. In an attempt to further the super hero joke, I was making a reference to the comic book and television character Wonder Woman, who is an Amazonian. I would never belittle the memory of Dorothy ---- or anyone would give their life to make this a better world.

As for the rest of the article, the target audience was as much Catholics as anyone else. Further, I am not anti-Catholic, and I am a Christian myself, sharing most of the same beliefs. Part of the intended humor of the article is what happens when entertainment and religion attempt to merge. As shown, I do not view the media’s affect on religion as positive, nor do I support the misuse of religion for entertainment purposes that is often evident in the real world.

Finally, I did satirize many elements of the Church and Christianity in general. I believe that an important role of both college and journalism is not just to inform but also to inspire debate and discussion about our views. Beliefs and faith, of any form, are the foundation of our lives. Left untested, they may falter under the pressure of crises and true attacks. By challenging our own beliefs, and even being able to find humor within them, we make sure that foundation is strong and resilient.

Inciting Chaos is FUNdamental

Image looted from http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/0/0c/Chumbunt.gif

Just an update from the article I posted before, that I believed would get me crucified:

It seems I have managed to anger the president of my college with said article. Yeah, the president. I'd find it an even greater achievement if our college wasn't so small, but still, it's an achievement. Of course, the professors seem to love it, along with most of the student body. And by most of the student body, I mean my friends and like minded malcontents.

However, the resulting chaos is putting somewhat of a pinch on my creative abilities, both because of time dealing with the problem and potential censorship because of it. I'll be composing a response to the controversy that I will post here and hopefully have printed. However, there probably won't be any updates until that and my other articles for the next issue of the paper are finished. After that, though, the semester is practically over. Other than exams in nearly every class. Eh, life would be boring if it wasn't chaotic and maddening.

The End, or Not.....

Just a general note of achievement, this is my last blog post required for my blogging class. It's a rather beautiful feeling, since I really don't like required writing. Kind of like assigned reading, I might enjoy it otherwise, but having it assigned just makes me not want to do it. Ever. Guess its a bit of a rebellious streak somewhere in the blood. Anyway, I may or may not continue this blog, since I'm not sure if anyone reads this other than those obligated to follow them for the class. We shall see, I guess.

Finally, go buy Ratatouille on DVD and the new Hives album The Black and White Album right now. Don't finish this sentence even. Just go.

Why are you still here? I said go.



You just don't listen do you?



Fine, well then, if you're not leaving, I'm going. Good Night (Morning?), and Good Luck.