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Louis Armstrong’s collage(s) of musical knowledge

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Louis Armstrong’s collage(s) of musical knowledge: “In 1968, Louis Armstrong received a Papal medal during a personal audience with Pope Paul VI. According to legend, when the pontiff asked whether the guest and his wife, Lucille, had any children, Armstrong answered, ‘No Daddy, but we’re still wailing.’ While this story is apocryphal, there are other oddball facts about the great artist that are not in doubt. For instance, did you know that Armstrong signed his personal correspondence ‘Red Beans and Ricely Yours’? Or that he never traveled anywhere without both a coffee tin full of cannabis and a handy pocket stash of Swiss Kriss herbal laxatives (which, supposedly, he once raved about to the Queen of England). Or that he liked to relax during down time by penning pornographic short stories?

Well another lesser-known fact about Armstrong is that, along with the medicinal supplements stowed in his carry-on, he toted reel-to-reel recording decks with him everywhere. With them he committed to tape concerts, conversations, his own playing and talking, audio flotsam from the Satchmo Universe. Even more impressive, Armstrong adorned the audio tape boxes with alluring and vivid Romare Bearden–esque collages layering photos, news clippings, concert programs, handwritten captions and other graphic elements. Armed with scotch tape and scissors, Armstrong spent countless hours entertaining himself, squirreled away in the den of his home in Corona, Queens, making visual music. Here is a sampling of the maestro’s handiwork:”

(Via WFMU’s Beware of the Blog.)

Currently playing in iTunes: March From A Clockwork Orange by Wendy Carlos

Inner Paths to Outer Space

Inner Paths to Outer Space: ”

We’ve recently received a review copy of Inner Paths to Outer Space: Journeys to Alien Worlds through Psychedelics and Other Spiritual Technologies, by Rick Strassman, Slawek Wojtowicz, Luis Eduardo Luna, and Ede Frecska. You can rest assured that our skilled technicians are studying the text and will post a detailed review of the results once we have returned from outer space. If you would like to play along at home you can run out and get your copy now. Or, you could post what you think about the premise without even reading the book. Isn’t that what the internet is for?

From www.amazon.com. Posted by jamesk.”

(Via DoseNation.)

Monk building meditation center in California desert

Monk building meditation center in California desert: ”

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Buddhist monk THich Dang ‘Tom’ Phap is building a beautiful Buddhist Meditation Center in a very unusual and unlikely location: the barren high desert of Adelanto, California. The centerpiece is a 60-ton marble statue of the saint Quan yin, donated by a Malaysian businessman. Phap bought 15 acres in Adelanto four years ago as a home for the statue and the center that he hopes he can complete if enough donations come in. Right now, the place has no power or water. The Los Angeles Times created a lovely short video visit with Phap to accompany an article on his project. Link to video, Link to article (Thanks, Paul Saffo!)


(Via Boing Boing.)

NonObject nUCLEUS motorcycle concept makes its boxy debut

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NonObject nUCLEUS motorcycle concept makes its boxy debut: “It looks like Dell’s not the only one that thinks boxy is in, with the folks at the NonObject design firm now also taking a decidedly hard-edged approach with their new motorcycle concept. Dubbed the nUCLEUS, the vehicle is described as a ‘zero emission, zero impact speed machine,’ albeit one that would seem to have a bit of trouble making sharp turns. That possible shortcoming aside, the concept is certainly unique enough, with it boasting an ‘animal-like behavior system’ that allows it to get up on its ‘hind legs’ when its in action and rest down flat when its at rest, as well as some interchangeable (but equally boxy) side panels. Of course, there’s not much in the way of technical details, but you can at least get a look at it from every angle by checking out the video after the break.”

(Via Engadget.)

Currently playing in iTunes: ICS Machinique by Heldon

1939 marital rating scale for wives

1939 marital rating scale for wives: “

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George W. Crane, MD, was a marriage counselor and wrote a syndicated national newspaper column called ‘The Worry Clinic.’ He developed a test in the late 1930s called the Marital Rating Scale — Wife’s Chart. Here’s the fist page of the test.

The test was designed to give couples feedback on their marriages. Either husbands or wives could take the test, which rated wives in a variety of areas. For instance, if your wife ‘uses slang or profanity,’ she would get a score of five demerits. On the other hand, if she ‘reacts with pleasure and delight to marital congress,’ she would receive 10 merits. The test taker would add up the total number of merits and demerits to receive a raw score, which would categorize the wife on a scale from ‘very poor’ to ‘very superior.’

(Via Boing Boing.)

The Associated Press: Medical marijuana user who was denied liver transplant dies

The Associated Press: Medical marijuana user who was denied liver transplant dies: “Go to Google News
Medical marijuana user who was denied liver transplant dies
6 hours ago
SEATTLE (AP) — A man who was denied a liver transplant because he used marijuana with medical approval to ease the symptoms of hepatitis C has died.
Timothy Garon, 56, died Thursday at Bailey-Boushay House, an intensive care nursing center, said his lawyer, Douglas Hiatt, and Alisha Mark, a spokeswoman for Virginia Mason Medical Center, which operates Bailey-Boushay.
His death came a week after his doctor told him a University of Washington Medical Center committee had again denied him a spot on the liver transplant list because of his use of marijuana, although it was authorized under Washington state law.
The case highlights an ethical consideration for those allocating organs for transplant: whether using dope with a doctor’s blessing should be held against a dying patient in need of a transplant.
The Virginia-based United Network for Organ Sharing, which oversees the nation’s transplant system”

(Via .)

Currently playing in iTunes: Track 05 by Pere Ubu