Education - Privilege or Right?

For those of you who didn't know, there was a state-wide rally in the UC system protesting the 32% fee increase approved in November of last year.  I noticed one protester who had a sign which said "Education, It's a Right!" and this got me thinking--is education (higher education in this case) a privilege or a right?  

In America, we'd like to think that it is a right, but in many parts of the world education is a great privilege reserved for the rich or very lucky.  I found a short article about a man who lived in Belize with his 3 kids.  The children's caretaker, who was only twenty-one, constantly told the kids how lucky they were to be going to school and getting an education.  He never had that privilege.  

Education protestors would argue that though education is not yet accessible for everyone, it is still, nevertheless, a basic human right.  Furthermore, this article by a Democratic Socialist group argues that the rising cost of education in western countries perpetuates a environment of separation between the educated and uneducated.  And even those that are able to work while going to school are still limited in what jobs they can pursue after they graduate because of their large student debt.

I think most of us can agree that primary school (K-12) should be a right for everyone, does the same apply to secondary (college and beyond) schools?  Though there are many forms of financial aid out there, I am sure there are still thousands of students who must skip school because of the money.  Should the government be obligated to subsidize education more?   What do you guys think?

Oh, and here's the article by the Daily Nexus about the rally.

Top Albums of 2009

As we enter into 2010 and say goodbye to last year, we look back at what was a pretty good year musically.  Though there were some big, hyped-up releases that didn't really hold my attention (John Mayer, Monsters of Folk, Weezer), there were many more great albums from both ear-catching newcomers and savvy veterans.  What follows is a list of my favorite albums from the past year.  This list is by no means complete, and I'm sure there are several good albums I will leave off (Grizzly Bear, the xx, Animal Collective), but this list contains the albums that I found myself listening to the most.  Also, be sure to check out the youtube videos linked in the album descriptions.  I found it hard to rank these albums, so the order is only alphabetical.  Now without further ado...

Built to Spill at the Music Box

The Delusions
Camper Van Beethoven

Built to Spill

Here are some pictures from Built to Spill playing at the Henry Fonda Theater on Thursday, September 13, 2007. The Delusions and Camper Van Beethoven opened. The Delusions were pretty good--basically just straightforward indie rock. Camper Van Beethoven was pretty sweet. They had an i movie running in the background for all there songs that was usually a compilation of some vault footage of random stuff ranging from hydroplaning David Hasselhoff to raccoons shooting lasers out of their eyes. Built to Spill rounded things out with a solid show, but not as much of their new stuff as I was expecting. Some highlights were Nowhere Nothing F*ckup, the Plan, Liar, and Carry the Zero.

Wilco

Sunday night Wilco played at the Santa Barbara Bowl. This was a really cool show from a great band. Richard Swift opened and although his stuff was mellow, he displayed a lot of musicianship and lyrical skill. His style has been compared to that of Rufus Wainwright, Ron Sexsmith, M. Ward, Jeff Buckley, and Andrew Bird. He did a couple songs just piano, which were outstanding, as well as playing the harmonica at the same time, which reminded me of Bob Dylan. At times he was joined by another guitarist or banjo player, but it was always two people at the most. He's worth checking out if you're a fan of the lo-fi. Here's a music video for you.

Wilco opened with "Either Way" the first song from their new album "Sky Blue Sky". All in all, they had a very slick show. Jeff Tweedy was a wonderful frontman, both maintaining his professionalism and still engaging the audience and making them feel included. However, the show really belonged to Nels Cline, the lead guitarist and newest member of the band. Nels' solos were simply amazing, and he was given room to improvise beyond what was normally allowed on the album. He tore it up on "Impossible Germany" my favorite track from the new album and one of the best songs that night. I've included a YouTube of vid of this song, albeit in studio. I love this song because not only are the lyrics compelling and beautiful, but the jam during the second half is executed perfectly. Besides "Impossible Germany" some other highlights from the show included "You Are My Face", "Side with the Seeds", "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart", and "Jesus, Etc."

Tweedy acknowledged that it had been his birthday the day before, and he thanked his wife and family for their support, which was nice. I was impressed by his live voice on all the songs except On and On and On, which might have been a tad out of pitch, but other than that he was fantastic. He was so into the show he almost forgot to begin the first chorus of "Jesus, Etc."! This show left me with a warm feeling inside and I look forward to seeing them the next time they pass though LA or Santa Barbara.

Footnote: The new Volkswagen ads feature tracks exclusively from Wilco's new album, "Sky Blue Sky", so that gives you a chance to hear them. Also, pick up their album, as it is definitely worth listening to!

RX Bandits at the Troubadour

I got to see the RX Bandits play at the Troubadour in Hollywood on Monday August 20th, 2007 with Fall of Troy and Maps and Atlases. This has unquestionably been from start to finish one of the funnest and most impressive shows I've been to. All three bands had great shows and I really couldn't of asked for a more enjoyable night.

After the doors opened at 7, Maps and Atlases came on around 7:30 and frankly blew every ones' minds. A indie rock band out of Chicago, M&A were a cross between a math-rock group like Hella or Minus the Bear and a post-rock group like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! or the Sea and Cake. Bottom line: their music rocked. The were all about the technical drum lines and finger tapping guitars and xylophones. Chris Hainey (drums) was amazing and quite comparable to Zach Hill from Hella. During most of the songs I simply could not take my eyes off him. If you want to see a video you can check them out in this YouTube vid. Of note though is that this video on YouTube does not include the xylophone player. I would definitely see this band again and would recommend them to anyone who likes Hella, Six Organs of Admittance, An Albatross, or Man Man.

Next up was Fall of Troy. These guys were like a band from your high school except their musical skills kick ass. They came on around 8:15 and I could tell that a small portion of the crowd had come just to see them. FoT was a progressive metal/post hardcore/thrash/speed metal threesome from Washington, and they packed a ton of energy. Thomas Erak had the stage presence of a young, skinny-jean clad Justin Hawkins from the Darkness complete with intense guitar-shredding ability. Fall of Troy seemed to me the kind of band someone would like if they though Coheed and Cambria was good but too soft. His screaming kind of sounded like the Blood Brothers, Mars Volta, at the Drive-In, Sound of Animals Fighting, Horse the Band, and Minus the Bear. While they weren't exactly my type of band, Erak's guitar prowess was enough to keep me occupied when I wasn't distracted by how ridiculous he looked. Here is a music video for your viewing pleasure. But they sound a little bit different live.

Last but definately not least was RX Bandits at 9:30. This band is from Orange Country and a lot of intense fans had shown up to see them. Even after some pretty good opening sets RXB freaking blew the house down. Words can't even describe how good this show was. Its kind of hard to describe their music--some call it 4th Wave Ska or Ska Punk, but you really have to hear it to believe it. The only reason its termed Ska is that they have a horn section, but other than that they are more a-kin to Jimmy Eat World or Get Up Kids that to Reel Big Fish or Less that Jake.

Matt Embree's lyrics are emotionally charged and moving, Steve Choi rips equally well whether on guitar or keyboard, bassist Joseph Troy is very under appreciated, drummer Chris Tsagakis is another great one comprable also to Zach Hill of Hella, and trombonist Chris Sheets rounds it out with some terrific brass work. They played a lot of my favorites including ...And the Battle Begun, Apparition, 1980, Only for the Night, In Her Drawer, and Falling. Please check them out, you will definitely be better off. Here's a vid of Matt Embree (lead vocals/guitar) solo, and here's a music video of the whole band. Don't think I am over praising them, this is one of my favorite bands and you will be entirely impressed by their work. Hopefully this post introduced some new music to you, and I hope you like what you hear. Rock on.

Many Muslims Say Pope’s Apology Is Inadequate - New York Times

Many Muslims Say Pope's Apology Is Inadequate - New York Times

I'd like to draw attention to a particular part of this article:

“The pope has apologized, and that’s enough, so let’s calm down,” said Hasym Muzadi, head of Indonesia’s largest Islamic organization, Nahdlatul Ulama, which has 30 million members. “If we remain furious, then the pope will be considered correct.”

When people protest the pope's speech by shooting a nun, doesn't that just prove his point? A least this leader has some sense. A little something to think about and yet another example of how our world is so messed up nowadays.

Dave Matthews Band at the Hollywood Bowl

I got to see Dave Matthews Band a couple of days ago on August the 28th, 2006 at the Hollywood Bowl. Its was not the best Dave show I've seen, but it was definitely unique. The band was not as rowdy as they can sometimes be, and it seemed they were almost playing out of respect for the venue and its history.

Robert Randolph and the family band opened. I've seen him before when he opened for Eric Clapton at the bowl and he was as fabulous as ever. A master of the slide guitar, Randolph brings a passion and energy to every piece he plays.

Dave's setlist was as follows:

Best of What's Around *
Pig *
What Would You Say? *
Dreamgirl *
Hunger for the Great Light *
Shotgun *
Crash
Everyday *
You Might Die Trying *
Dancing Nancies * -->
Warehouse *
Loving Wings *
Where Are You Going?
Can't Stop
Smooth Rider *+
Louisiana Bayou *+
Encore:
So Right *
Ants Marching *

* Rashawn Ross on trumpet
+ Robert Randolph

He had a very gentle opening, and played a couple new songs. Some highlights were definitely Dancing Nancies > Warehouse, and Louisiana Bayou with Robert Randolph. When Randolph came on before Smooth Rider, he brought hats for each of the band members, and Dave looked quite decked out with red shirt, sunglasses, and red fedora. Louisiana Bayou was quite a performance Ants Marching was the perfect end for this show, I only wish he had played more from Crash. It was a great show, and probably one of the more unique ones I will ever hear.