Friday, June 08, 2007

New Music for the Nomad – Discovering Jazz


Tonight, I went out to hear a new band. They are a combination of Jazz and very psychedelic music, and were far outside of any genre that I normally prefer, but I have to tell you that I walked away psyched after having heard some excellent musicianship.

The band consisted of a saxophone, a bass player, and a person on a synthesizer. A person also came in for one song and played a sitar. Plus, the bass went through a variety of digital enhancements so that it really sounded little like a traditional bass, and the saxophone player also used a variety of instruments, including a clarinet, a bongo drum, and even at one point a blender.

At first I thought that the music had little or no structure. But as I listened closer, I realized that while the music lacked chords, structure certainly existed. There was rhythm, melody, and a structure that, while being untraditional, certainly tied the music together and provided a flow that was extremely compelling.

Particularly talented was the saxophone player, who obviously was brimming over with ability and stood at the forefront of most of the music played. He seemed to drive the music, to consistently move it forward and give it definition. His rifts were tremendously tight, and he showed an adeptness that couldn’t help but impress.

I was speaking with the saxophonist afterwards, and found out that with over 30 years of playing the sax, he is a huge jazz enthusiast. I was thrilled when he agreed to teach me a bit more about jazz, and even more excited when he agreed to do a show on BigDawgRadio, turning our listeners on to a great deal of music that they may not have heard before.

In short order, we’ll find a slot for this new jazz show, and I can guarantee that I will be one of the listeners. But it’s really exciting to hear a new music, something I don’t know that well, and to begin to explore a whole new genre for a beauty that, for me, has been as yet undiscovered.

Are you a jazz fan? Are you interested in getting turned on to some jazz, as well as other types of music that are of similar genres? Well, then I’m in the same boat as you are, and perhaps together we can get psyched for BigDawgRadio’s next offering, a night of jazz!

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Posted by Scottage at 12:51 AM / | |  

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Bloomberg Says Stop Worrying; Nomad Agrees


Wouldn’t that be an awesome headline? As if anyone really cares what I think about issues like this. But really, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has hit the nail on the head, when he indicated that New Yorkers shouldn't fret over the recent plot to blow up a fuel pipeline into JFK airport.

"There are lots of threats to you in the world. There's the threat of a heart attack for genetic reasons. You can't sit there and worry about everything. Get a life," he said. "You have a much greater danger of being hit by lightning than being struck by a terrorist," he added.

The truth is, most Americans don’t really understand the nature of terrorism. Most people think it’s about killing civilians, and maximizing death tolls of unsuspecting victims. Yet I’ve met people who have later wound up being terrorists, and the remarkable thing is that many do value life.

Believe it or not, the goal is not to kill people. Rather, killing people is the only way to accomplish the goal most terrorists have. So what is the goal? It’s fear! Just like the name would suggest, terrorists want to strike terror into the hearts of their opponents. And most see the fear of death as the largest of all fears.

But it goes a step further than that; most terrorists are trying to make us afraid to live our normal lives. This is why most attacks are focused on the activities we do daily. Transportation will always be a target. Workplaces that many people arrive at daily are a target for terrorists. Even markets with many daily shoppers. If terrorists can make you afraid to live your daily life, they are accomplishing their goals.

I lived in Israel for many years (as readers of my blog know), and it was more than obvious that terrorists were targeting the daily lives of the Israeli citizens, trying to make life so fearful that it is unbearable. The killings are an unfortunate byproduct of this plan, though how unfortunate a byproduct ranges depending on the nature of the terrorist; some care less about these deaths than others.

There is an additional advantage to this strategy, which was discovered by terrorists long ago: even failed terrorist attempts can be successful in striking fear into the enemy. In Israel, the citizens make a point of living their lives, of going about their daily business without fear of the unknown, embracing each day and accepting the dangers of the unknown, because living life any other way would be to let the terrorists win.

That, essentially, is what Michael Bloomberg is advocating. He is saying that we need to live our lives to the fullest, and not live in fear of terrorism, because altering our lives even one iota would be to let the terrorists succeed, and would invite more terrorism. He understands that defeating terrorism is less about foiling a plot and more about embracing our lives, without fear of these attacks. And I applaud him for it!

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Posted by Scottage at 11:15 AM / | |  

The Monday Love Line


Today was the premier of the newest show on BigDawgRadio, called the Monday Love Line, and frankly, it was a total blast. This was clearly the most interactive show we’ve done to date on the station, and I came away wishing we were doing this show every night.

Basically, the Monday Love Line runs from 7:00 pm to midnight every Monday night, and is hosted by DJ Hippie Chick and myself, DJ Nomad. Both shows are dedicated to that crazy little thing called love, and the difference in perspectives between men and women.

On both shows, we address love-related topics and letters submitted by our listeners, and give our own opinions on these issues. Both Hippie Chick and I will talk about the same issues, so you can get a real feel for the different way men and women look at the same topics, which was more than evident tonight.

Of course, it’s not all love, because let’s face it, the world is not all about love today. We touch on sex, breakups, intimacy, marriage, one night stands, basically anything where men and women are getting together. And no topic is taboo; let us know what you want to hear about, and both Hippie Chick and I will cover it. Why? Because like the rest of BigDawgRadio, this show is the listeners, and that’s what I love about it!

But it’s not all talk. The show is peppered with the greatest love songs of all time, spanning a number of genres. We do requests and, of course, dedications, sometimes from one loved one to another, sometimes to a potential sexual partner, sometimes even to someone a listener is pissed off at. The sky is the limit on the Monday Love Line.

So tonight turned out to be a total blast. I find myself wishing I was doing another show like this one during the week, but good things come to those who wait. And next week, Monday night, we’ll hit it again, and even improve on the show. Listen in, or better yet, send us a letter or topic. And get the answers you want, from the male and female perspective, next Monday on the Love Line. Hope to see you there!

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Posted by Scottage at 1:53 AM / | |  

Monday, June 04, 2007

Iran Ups the Pressure on Israel


Iran and its president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stepped up the pressure against Israel this weekend, both with public statements and a new TV series aimed at fostering anti-Zionist sentiment. Along with the unpredictable future of neighboring Lebanon and the improved weaponry of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, there can’t help but be concern inside Israel and throughout the Jewish community worldwide.

On Sunday, Ahmadinejad indicated that the Lebanese and Palestinians had pressed “the countdown button” on the destruction of the state of Israel. Ahmadinejad’s anti-Israeli rhetoric has been the cause of much concern since his election two years ago, but his recent speech seems to be stepping up the threats.

"By God's will, we will witness the destruction of this regime in the near future. If you make a mistake and create another war against the oppressed Lebanese nation, this time the angry ocean of the nations of the region will remove your rotten ... roots from the region.”


Already, the military support from Iran has served to thoroughly destabilize the Lebanese government, and threatens to create Israel’s most hostile border. And recent improvements in the accuracy of missiles being fired from Gaza, also credited to technology from Iran, have created chaos in southern Israel. One can only expect that Iran will continue to provide support to anti-Zionist organizations, and further destabilize Israel.

To increase legitimacy for Iran’s recent moves with the Iranian people, Iranian state television is airing a new series called “A Zero Degree Turn” aimed at promoting Ahmadinejad’s version of the Holocaust and the birth of Israel. Basically, the show promotes the concept that Israel is the result of a European problem, and the Jewish people should be relocated back to Europe.

The early episodes of the show focus on an Iranian man and Jewish woman who are friends. The Jewish woman, Sarah Struck, is concerned about the growing power of the Nazis after her father is killed, and her whole family fears for their future. The show focuses on the economic power of the Jewish people, the war being forced on Germany because of the growing Jewish power, and ignores the role of the Jewish philosophers and early Zionists.

The show portrays Iran as traditionally a friend to the Jewish people, while presenting Europe as racist and persecuting the Jewish people. Still, the show denotes a clear anti-Zionist viewpoint, which is obviously the reason the show has been created in the first place. The show’s bias is stated clearly by Sarah’s uncle, Rabbi Weiss:

"External pressures are trying to settle the Jews and the Muslims together, and it is impossible. The Jewish fate has always been complicated and difficult. The solution is not emigration to Arab countries, where there are Arab citizens."


It has become clear during Ahmadinejad’s term that the destruction of the State of Israel is a priority. This threat, however, is not only to Israel itself, but as the West’s greatest ally in the Middle East, it is a threat to the United States and our European allies. This situation definitely bears watching, as Iran becomes a greater danger to the Israel and to the world in general.

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Posted by Scottage at 2:22 AM / | |