As my friends and family gather for Thanksgiving today, I realize how blessed we all are. I am thankful that we live in a time and place where so many independent thinkers, businesses, and tastemakers can thrive and grow while continuing to push the envelope. I am thankful that we have the opportunity to create this magazine and be a part of the solutions. But most of all I want to to express my gratitude to all the LEGENDmag staff and readers for making this magazine so successful, and for always pushing me personally to do things better. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I hope your day is a wonderful one too!
I had the pleasure of seeing two unconventional speakers give a lecture on China yesterday at the Berkeley Art Museum Theater. And I use the word unconventional, because they are white American men who have dedicated themselves to studying particular aspects of traditional Chinese life.
They spoke at length about misconceptions on either topic; the lack of research in each respective feild; a bit about the books they wrote on the topics; and fostered a nice debate after their presentations.
The first speaker, Michael Meyer, wrote a book entitled The Last Days of Old Beijing. During his discussion he detailed his life in one of Beijing’s oldest hutongs (mazes of lanes and courtyards bordered by single-story houses) as a teacher and citizen. He showed photographs of his students, neighbors, and local families that he followed in the book and discussed how modern conveniences (and Walmart) were affecting the area; as China significantly reconstructs itself by demolishing the old houses and installing brand new suburbs and roads in their place.
Next up in the series was David Spindler who, along with photographer Jonathan Ball, is documenting the Great Wall of China. He spent time dispelling myths about the Great Wall (such as the untrue “fact” that it can be seen from space); defining what actually makes a great wall (1000m, built for defense, and non-circular); and regaling us with stories from his 800+ days of hiking the local sections. In addition, he presented us with photographs from his book which showed modern-day photos taken at the exact time and day of ancient battles between the Mongols and the Chinese at various places along the wall.
Aside from the fascinating wealth of information they provided, it was strange to hear that the subjects they were both researching didn’t have a lot of true research done. But as China modernizes and grows it’s good that people like Mr. Meyer and Mr. Spindler are out there in the field making a mark on history!
And if you are going to be in the Bay Area sometime in the near future, you would be well to visit the U.C. Berkeley Art Museum’s exhibit entitled Mahjong: Contemporary Chinese Art, which runs through January 4, 2009.
Fortunately this bear didn’t show up for dinner but he does know the health benefits of eating salmon.
Going to a friends house for dinner is my new favorite past time, especially when Melinda is cooking. Every time I’m at Melinda’s house she makes some delicious food and it’s also something that is good for you just by it’s look and smell. It’s hard to leave her home without asking yourself, why can’t I cook that way at home? Well this time I told her I wanted to start sharing some of he meal ideas and she sent me everything we had to eat and why it’s healthy!
So here you go people, next time you’re wondering if you should have brown or white rice, use vegetable or olive oil, or just need an idea of some great healthy things to eat, remember Melinda and this post (and don’t forget LEGENDmag).
LEGENDmag readers meet Melinda Penny-Washington
The first thing you should know is the less processed the better the food. All ingredients were fresh (ie, not canned or pre-cooked).
Salmon - Omega-3 fatty acids (polyunsaturated) help prevent blood clots, protects against irregular heartbeats, and lowers blood pressure.
Olive oil - (monounsaturated fat) Olive oil delivers valuable phytochemicals that help to protect against heart disease.
Sweet potato- (major vitamins) Vitamin C, Vitamin A, high source of fiber. Vitamin C is an antioxidant. Helps build collagen. Vitamin A promotes vision, maintains the health of skin cells. May act as an antioxidant which protects the body against disease.
Spinach / chard greens- (Major vitamins found in food source listed, many other vitamins are in greens, but in small amounts) Vitamin K, A and C. Vitamin K participates in bone building as well as blot clotting. May also protect against osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer, arthritis, and other diseases. Foliate is used in synthesis of DNA. Helps in formation of neurotransmitters in the brain.
Garlic – Excellent source of manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and selenium. Manganese aids in synthesizing important proteins in the body used to create energy. B6 is used in the metabolism of amino acids in the body. Garlic is an antioxidant. Studies have shown it may lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
Sage - Holds volatile oils. Helps reduce microbes which cause gingivitis. Indigestion, lack of appetite, oral inflammation, perspiration, rhinitis and sore throat are all ailments for which Sage has an application. The German Commission E approved internal use for stomach problems and excessive perspiration as well as for external use in conditions of inflamed mucous membranes of the mouth and throat.
Brown rice - An antioxidant and an excellent source of fiber. Fiber helps prevent colon cancer.
(information below was taken from The>www.WHFoods.com)
The difference between brown rice and white rice is not just color! A whole grain of rice has several layers. Only the outermost layer, the hull, is removed to produce what we call brown rice. This process is the least damaging to the nutritional value of the rice and avoids the unnecessary loss of nutrients that occurs with further processing. If brown rice is further milled to remove the bran and most of the germ layer, the result is a whiter rice, but also a rice that has lost many more nutrients.
At this point, however, the rice is still unpolished, and it takes polishing to produce the white rice we are used to seeing. Polishing removes the aleurone layer of the grain-a layer filled with health-supportive, essential fats. Because these fats, once exposed to air by the refining process, are highly susceptible to oxidation, this layer is removed to extend the shelf life of the product. The resulting white rice is simply a refined starch that is largely bereft of its original nutrients.
Our food ranking system qualified brown rice as an excellent source of manganese, and a good source of the minerals seleniumand magnesium. The complete milling and polishing that converts brown rice into white rice destroys 67% of the vitamin B3, 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half of the manganese, half of the phosphorus, 60% of the iron, and all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. By law in the United States, fully milled and polished white rice must be “enriched” with vitamins B1, B3, and iron. But the form of these nutrients when added back into the processed rice is not the same as in the original unprocessed version, and at least 11 lost nutrients are not replaced in any form even with rice “enrichment.”
For those of you who have not yet seen the above video, let me start by pointing out that the overlay of “I Will Always Love You” is at once cheesy as hell and completely appropriate. There are so many things that we cannot explain or give a name to as we each stumble through this life, doing our best to make lasting connections and meaningful choices. These unquantifiable things and moments in our lives are the things that make each day so surprising and precious. Take a moment today to think of someone who you have loved, who you miss, who you may have hurt or been hurt by and reach out with an olive branch or a hug to thank them for helping you to create a moment you cannot name. There is no day other than this one.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the 15 titles on the shortlist for Best Documentary feature for the Academy Awards (airing Feb. 22).
Which films do think are the best in this bunch? Are there some that aren’t on the shortlist that the Academy should have included? Let me know your thoughts…
We attended the Synthetic Biology Debate put on by The Long Now Foundation, and walked out scratching our heads… (in a good way). Drew Endy and Jim Thomas debated pros and cons of open source bio-engineering, and the social implications that it brings. Honestly, a lot of what they were saying went right over my head… however, it made me think about heavy topics that I hadn’t even considered before:
— As the world learns more about manufacturing biology, is it most responsible to contain knowledge to a small few restricted research teams, risking corporate control (or worse); or is it better to make the entire field open source, forego patents, and risk hostile world-powers gaining advantages!?
— How do we protect the existing world economy while encouraging advancements in bio-technology?
— How do we distinguish important bio-advances like malaria cures or insulin advances, from potential disasters?
— And furthermore, what needs to be done about updating our outdated patent system to encourage future advancements?
While there was no official winner or loser, just starting the conversation was an important step to the future of the field. And judging by the massive turnout this Monday, it clearly is a pressing topic!
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Had the pleasure of attending this month’s Ask a Scientist lecture down at Axis Cafe in San Francisco where they were talking about surviving in space, and more specifically the tribulations of water reclaimation.
What impressed me the most about this discussion, was the simple terrestrial uses taken from current space technologies. Using the water reclamation membranes that astronauts rely upon (pee to gatorade conversion!), to repurpose water back here on Earth; Sherwin Gormly–this month’s guest lecturer and Water Process Research and Development Engineer at NASA Ames Research Center—presented win-win waste treatment plant opportunities. Such ideas were standard osmosis techniques which not only cleaned waste water, but also generated megawatts of power in the process.
It was a fantastic talk, in an equally fantastic setting. And if you ever have had burning desires to learn about science, Ask a Scientist lecture series is definately for you. Upcoming lectures include How computers look at art, and BIGFOOT!
Axis Cafe is located at 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco.
You can find more information on the series at askascientistsf.com.
Now that we’ve dispatched this whole election business, I think it’s time we started talking about the revolutionary change that’s coming in 2009. No, no, no, silly, not the Obama administration, although that’s cool too. I’m talking about something really important, a revolution we badly need- the Great Rock Explosion of 2009. What, you may ask, is the Great Rock Explosion of 2009? Allow me to explain…
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1955: Whole Lotta Shaking Going On
In 1955, Rock and Roll was born. Ignore, for a moment that the music that “burst” on the scene had, under the name of Rhythm and Blues, been played since the late 40s. Because 1955 was the cultural moment when the uniquely American fusion of Rhythm and Blues and Country and Western that had long been brewing finally hit the boiling point, and the teakettle whistled so loudly that the whole nation heard.
It kicked off subtly enough, with Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock”. But the country soon faced the raw sexual energy of Elvis, the ringing guitar of Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly’s song craftsmanship, Little Richard’s oh so queer wild sweat-soaked mania, Jerry Lee Lewis kicking back the stool and banging away on the piano until his crazy curls fell down over his face, on and on. Even now, fifty plus years later, the anarchic thrill of that music threatens to break through anew with each listen.
But by 1960, Elvis was drafted, Eddie Cochran was dead, Buddy Holly was dead, Chuck Berry was in jail, Little Richard had entered the ministry(!) and Jerry Lee Lewis had been ostracized from broadcast following his marriage to his teenage cousin. All too quickly, it seemed to be over.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the funeral.
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1964: A Hard Night’s Day
Some British kids had been listening in the 50’s. Paul loved Little Richard. John said that, for him, Elvis was everything. George, for his part, thought Carl Perkins was amazing. By 1964, these floppy haired kids were writing their own songs and had grown into an awfully good band that seized the charts in the US. In the wake of the Beatles, it turned out that a lot of British kids had been listening. One after another, they arrived. The Rolling Stones. The Who. The Yardbirds. The Hollies. The Animals.
Meanwhile, a skinny kid with wild hair from Minnesota named Bob, who had himself been turned on by Little Richard, was making music that mixed the energy and irreverence of the Rock and Roll of the 50s with older American traditions of Blues and Folk. Along the way, he infused the songs with lyrical sophistication and social commentary.
The Beatles and the rest of the British Invasion revived Rock in the 60s. Bob Dylan challenged it to reach a new level of maturity. They spurred each other on, and people on both sides of the Atlantic started rocking. By the end of the decade, Rock and Roll had blossomed in multiple directions: the dark Nietschean poetry of the Doors, the political stridency of the Jefferson Airplane, the sweetly clanging pop of the Byrds, Cream and Jimi Hendrix taking heavy guitar and amplification as far as it could go, the Beach Boys and the Beatles out-competing each other into producing increasingly sophisticated psychedelic masterpieces, the Who turning out a rock opera (for Pete’s sakes!) and too many more happenings to mention here.
By the early 70s the brilliant flare had faded. One of the top songs that year was by the pre-packaged poppily cute and harmless Partridge Family. The production advances and psychedelia of the 60s spawned songs that were overly ornate, abstruse, and long. Very long. Singer-songwriters proliferated at an alarming rate, producing acoustic and quiet music. Rock as powerful, noisy, dangerous and vital as came from the outpourings of 1955-1959 and 1964-1969 seemed to be a thing of the past.
Then came 1976.
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1976: Anarchy in the UK
A quartet of greaseballs from Queens donned leather jackets, renamed themselves the Ramones, and started writing Rock songs played as quickly and simply as physically possible— three chords in two minutes. Elsewhere in New York, a gaunt dark-haired girl named Patti Smith intoned, “Jesus died for somebody’s sins, but not mine,” as she proceeded to launch into burning intense poetry set to ragged music. A group calling themselves the Talking Heads produced quirky spare paeans to alienation.
Meanwhile, over in the UK, a group of Ramones fans led by some guys named Mick and Joe ripped through fast, noisy garage rock that took on neo-fascism, racism, unemployment and the other social and economic woes of the mid-70s head-on. At the same time the Clash were raising their White Riot, a pimple-faced seventeen year old with spiked red hair and torn clothes named John took on the last name “Rotten” and headed up a band called the Sex Pistols, singing with a snarl so unrehearsed and natural that it electrified everybody who heard it, “I am an antichrist. I am an anarchist!”
Gone were the layers of production, the attempt to be complex, the stifling sense of seriousness that had arisen from the 60s as they decayed into the 70s. The fetid stagnation was replaced by an attempt to be as loud, as shocking, as fast as possible, fueled by the fiercely egalitarian impulse that anybody could do this shit. And anybody did.
The Clash, Elvis Costello, the Damned, the Dead Kennedys, Joy Division, the Ramones, Patti Smith, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Stiff Little Fingers, the Talking Heads, X and literally hundreds of cohorts all over the world flared into being in the few bright, intense years that ran from 1976 to 1979.
A precious few managed to gain large followings. But most settled in to size niches, intensely, but not widely, loved.
The mass market was awash in synthesizers, slick pop production and an increasingly depressing lack of real emotional content. Even so called “Hard Rock” had become the neutered bubblegum of Hair Metal, with a flashy show of rebellion hiding the musically and socially conservative palp underneath. By the end of the 80s, many declared either with triumph or anguish that Rock was dead.
But something was going in Seattle.
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1991: Here We Are Now, Entertain Us
A whole generation of kids who felt alienated by the conformist 80s was forming bands. Loud bands. Bands that took something from the Punk explosion, something from the critically unregarded but musically untamed Metal of the 70s, brought in a strain of the melodic from the 60s and maybe even from the synth-pop 80s, and fused it all together with an intensely personal emotional content that the 80s had forced underground. An astonishing number of these bands were crushed into the mid-sized city of Seattle: Alice in Chains, Hole, the Melvins, Mudhoney, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden.
Oh yeah. And some guys who called themselves Nirvana.
In the wake of the unexpected breakout success of Nirvana’s “Nevermind” (which knocked Michael Jackson’s “Bad” from the number one spot late in 1991), new, hard-edged and emotionally dangerous music sprouted up all across the country. It turned out that there was a vast Alternative Nation that had been desperately yearning for something real throughout the 80s and now had a lot to get off of their chests. Not all of it, to be sure, followed Seattle’s Grunge musically. But the emotional intensity that Kurt Cobain and company had brought back to Rock was apparent everywhere you listened: Bjork, the Breeders, the Cranberries, Greenday, PJ Harvey, Alanis Morrisette, Liz Phair, Radiohead, the Smashing Pumkins, Veruca Salt, and more, in a hundred directions at once.
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Numerology Lesson
Some might date the demise of Rock’s last great explosion to Kurt Cobain’s 1994 suicide. I don’t agree, but his despair at the commercial machine that was co-opting the music surely played a part in his end. It is true that one can’t find a decent Grunge album after 1995, although many other strains carried on. Radiohead’s OK Computer in 1997 was thought by many to signal the end of Alternative Rock and the rise of Electronica. True or not, Rock radio over the next few years was quickly reduced to droning bleary emo, monotonous post-grunge and watered down commercial Punk.
On top of that, Gen-Y’s hideous revenge on the Alternative Nation of Gen X arrived in the form of Britney Spears. Britney’s number one “Oops, I did it Again” seems almost to be the voice of commercial pop triumphantly telling us it has once again overcome Rock. After all, she did tell us she was not that innocent.
So is all hope lost? I think not.
Nine years elapsed from the initial outbreak in 1955 to the first wave of the British Invasion in 1964. Another twelve passed from the halcyon days of 1964 to the noisy outburst of Punk and New Wave in 1976. And then fifteen from 1976 until 1991, when Grunge, the bastard child of Punk and Metal, reminded the world that Rock could still be dangerous and interesting. Are you starting to catch on to the periodicity? 1955+9=1964. 1964+12=1976. 1976+15=1991. 9, 12, 15. The next entry in the sequence is 18. 1991+18=2009.
And there you have it. The coming Great Rock Explosion of 2009. Stay tuned…
Now that we’re done with all the political talk lets get down to brass tax. In this issue we include some tools to help with transparency in our government but what we’re really excited about is the best in independent news from Independent people like Next Legends features Gary VaynerChuk to independent companies like Etsy and JBClassics bringing you the best independents have to offer.
If that wasn’t enough already, we tapped our friends at Goorin to find out how you can find a great hat and our new Managing Editor Amber Milner helps you find your role as a patriot.
And for those of you who can’t get enough of politics and want to make sure you can hold your politicians accountable we have good news. There are so many tools we can use thanks to sites like opencongress.org that we can follow when a policy is introduced, when it passes, who voted for it, who gave money to help it pass and who the money was given to. Now that’s independent politics…transparency! And it’s only the beginning. You can read about this and much more in LEGENDmag print issue #23 at LEGENDmag.net
Features: Transparency is the new Democracy
The pulse of the election
A Presidential Beatdown—Choosing a leader
Next Legends:
Gary Veynerchuk—Viticultural Guru
Black Spade—Hip-Hop Innovator
Jay Duplas—Film Savant
Upsidedown—Musican Magicians
J Davey—Sound Pioneers
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