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Umbra Fractus
Name:
Umbra Fractus
Hometown:
Cedar Park, TX
Joined:
Nov 11, 2010

Recent Comments

Umbra Fractus

I don't believe in possession. Satan is more subtle than that.

Umbra Fractus

Overplayed: Anything by The Ramones, The White Stripes, The Rolling Stones, Slayer, Tool, Pearl Jam... There's no shortage of "classic" bands that I just don't get.

Underplayed: Anything by Duran Duran made after 1982, Dream Theater, King Crimson, and sorry, Flownover, but Roky Erickson is the [COC violation] man!

Umbra Fractus

EThompson

Foxfier

Stephen Hall: I can forgive Sir Elton his over-exposure.

“Elton John Slams Boycotting Artists at Israel Concert”

http://www.popeater.com/2010/06/18/elton-john-israel-tel-aviv-concert/ · 1 minute ago

Guy has taken several unpopular stands that are enough for me to excuse some of the abuse his music gets. :) · 1 hour ago

And at least he wrote one good song, Tiny Dancer. · May 19, 2013 at 7:59am

o/~ Hold me closer Tony Danza o/~

Edited on May 21, 2013 at 3:51am
Umbra Fractus

I never understood the seething hatred the poor guy got on the internet. It's annoying when you look up a classic rock video on YouTube and the top comment is about how much the poster hates Justin Bieber.

At least that's how I used to feel. Now it's starting to look like his lantern's not quite lit.

Umbra Fractus

Butters: If a reporter is hiding a source who committed a crime, make them reveal it or prosecute them for withholding evidence in a criminal investigation.

Shield Law my foot.

But don't go trolling for phone records. · 4 hours ago

On any other week I'd agree with you 100%.

But after all we've heard how can you not suspect that they're just looking for an excuse to go after Fox? This administration has no credibility.

Umbra Fractus
Amy Schley I'll still put it up with Wrath of Khan, Voyage Home, and Undiscovered Country for "Star Trek movies I have an interest in rewatching," even if it isn't as good as Wrath of Khan or Undiscovered Country. It's about even with Voyage Home. · 3 hours ago

I still don't understand the appeal of Voyage Home. I mean you want to talk about left wing propaganda delivered with all the subtlety of an anvil falling on Wil E. Coyote's head and wrapped in forced, unfunny comedy...

Umbra Fractus

EstoniaKat: Your concern for European olive-oil affairs is noted. ;p

Seriously though, I can't think of ONE restaurant that uses them, anyway. I use them at home, primarily for guests, but that's about it.

The utility of the original bottle cannot be denied. And I feel more sanitary, as I found worms wiggling in a vinegar jug about 10 years ago. · 1 hour ago

And unelected bureaucrats in Belgium should force the rest of the continent to adopt this practice because...?

Worms in a vinegar jar are already covered by local and/or national sanitation laws. There is absolutely no reason for Brussels to get involved here.

Umbra Fractus

Uhm... Whatever happened to "Rule of law, not of men"? I love Kevin Wiliamson, and share his loathing of people like Ms. C, but he still broke the law.

Umbra Fractus

Regarding Khan's race lift, note that the only person to ever call him, "Khan Noonien Singh" is Old Spock. Everyone else just calls him, "Khan." This might indicate that in this universe Khan is some sort of code name. John Harrison might even be his real name for all we know.

Personally I thought this was one of the best sequels ever. Up there with Empire Strikes Back and Dark Knight.

Umbra Fractus

Grendel

Retail Lawyer: "I know chimpy McHitlerBurton (Bush) will declare marshal law and stay in office.  I am 100% sure".  This came from my boss!  #71

After BHO was nominated in 2008, two acquaintances stood together and  assured everyone around that he would certainly be shot by white racists.  Certainly. · 1 hour ago

I similarly had a friend, who was actually not a progressive/statist (he generally kept his politics to himself, but I suspect he was a libertarian) who said he wouldn't vote for Obama because he wanted a president who would survive the inauguration.

Umbra Fractus
Joseph Stanko I have long assumed that people with musical training hear music differently than I do.  When they start describing what they like about improvisational jazz or a Bach fugue, they are describing details of the structure of the music that I literally cannot hear.  It sounds random to me; my brain doesn't perceive the structure, and much of the beauty lies in that invisible structure. · 15 minutes ago

It's even worse when you do understand music theory*, but your ears are not up to the task of recognizing all the things you know you should be looking for.

*I'm a self-taught songwriter. Mostly melodic metal/hard rock with some prog-rock influence, which is where the music theory comes in.

What I said in my defense of John Williams earlier applies equally to all genres. Write a good melody and sing/play it well and you'll win me over. It's also why I have no patience for genres like extreme metal ("Singing is for wusses!") and most punk/garage rock ("Who cares if my guitar's out of tune? It's all about the mood.")

Umbra Fractus

I hate that society forces us to choose between Rick Santorum and Lena Dunham when it comes to our attitudes toward sexuality. No one knows how to be just-a-little-naughty anymore.

I also hate that people have started to view morality in purely utilitarian terms. Too few people are willing to accept that an act can be short-term harmless and still be morally wrong.

What do I like? How much time you got? I'm a socially awkward technophile; I love being able to carry 44 days worth of music in my left pocket and a couple dozen books in my right. If I didn't have a computer, I wouldn't have any friends. (And if you want to see me blow my stack, tell me they're not "real.")

Umbra Fractus

Amy Schley Agreed ... I don't want to sound like I'm bad-mouthing either Tchaikovsky or Williams.  I would call Shostakovich, Copeland, or Gershwin the best "influential" composer of the 20th century with maybe a nod to Danny Elfman on the soundtrack side.

But just like someone once declared that Tchaikovsky was just an old fogey who wrote tunes you could hum, so is Williams. · 0 minutes ago

Fair enough. Still don't fully agree, but at least your counter-examples are ones I can respect. :)

To be honest, Copeland and Shostakovich are precisely the sort of "younger than I thought" composers that led me to hedge my statement in the first place.

Umbra Fractus

Now that I think about it, that seems to be the unifying factor in all so-called "high art" in the 20th century, a lack of form. Music has no key; poetry has no meter; literature has no plot; painting and sculpture have no shape...

Umbra Fractus
Amy Schley I don't know if I would say Williams is the greatest of the 20th century; he's more like the 20th century's analog to Tchaikovsky.  Not the most creative, or experimental, or influential perhaps, but he's written the most recognizable tunes. · 2 hours ago

The problem is that, in the 20th century, all those adjectives you list generally point to atonal dreck that nobody but snobby artistes would ever want to listen to. The Ramones were innovative and influential; they were also awful musicians. Give me an interesting melody (and please don't over-analyze the meaning of "interesting") and have it performed by talented musicians. That's all I care about. John Williams does that better than anyone working in the orchestral genre in the 20th century.

Umbra Fractus

Addendum regarding film scores: As I type this, I'm listening to Danny Elfman's first foray into proper classical music, Seranada Schizophrana. I recommend it.

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