April 2015
46 recording mash-up of Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring"
Remember that time when 30 symphony orchestras, 29 conductors and 9 pianists got together to perform The Rite of Spring? We don’t either, but we’d like to imagine what this meeting of minds and talents might sound like. Stitched together from 46 different recordings - a grand total of 64 musical cuts - Q2 Music presents the iconic “Augurs of Spring” performed by as many ensembles and soloists as could be squeezed into 3 minutes and 19 seconds.
Part of Q2 Music’s Rite of Spring Fever at http://www.q2music.org/springfever/
Get me my lightsaber
There is a lot to be excited about in the latest Star Wars trailer, and I am glad The Incomparable has another 1 and a half hour podcast to discuss the 1 minute 50 second teaser. The first installment, Forcegiving, was such a delight.
There are few popular movies from the past 15 years I have not seen
Last week, Marco Arment posted a list of popular movies he hasn’t seen from the past 15 years. His lack of familiarity with popular movies has come up on several episodes of his podcast, so his list didn’t surprise me. What did surprise me is how many popular movie I have seen. I don’t feel like I watch that many movies now, but based on the results below, I do (or at least I have).
The list below consists of each year’s Academy Awards best picture nominees and the top 10 grossing movies. That provides a good balance of critical and commercial popularity.
Five years of a non-conformist commute
Five years ago today I bought and started restoring the bike I currently ride to work—a 1972 Schwinn Super Le Tour. I’ve spent the last five years using it to commute in a city that is not particularly bike friendly and whose weather is too hot and rainy for most of the year. That hasn’t stopped me.
I rarely see other bikers who look as if their commuting to work. It just isn’t common in this part of South Florida. However, my understanding is that bikes are the most used mode of transportation in the world. Riding a bike is also how I got around during most of my childhood and through high school.