Day 397: O Isis Und Osiris!

Bless German classics, Deutsche Grammophon and Karl Böhm – I’d forgotten how much I adore Die Zauberflöte and why it is my favorite opera of all time. Along with its great overture and arias (listen to Der Hölle Rache Kocht In Meinem Herzen and report back on the goosebumps), this final large production of Mozart’s is a true soap-operatic allegory of politics, society and attendant treachery back in late 18th-century Europe. Wolfgang would have had a field day in modern-day New Orleans.

The liner notes on the beginning of Act Two:

The priests assemble to hear Sarastro give an explanation of his actions: the gods have ordained that Pamina and Tamino shall marry; their union will ensure that the theocratic realm of the Sun will resist the destructive chaos that threatens at the hands of the Queen of the Night. But before Tamino can be accepted in the circle of the illuminati and marry Pamina, he must undergo the difficult and progressively more dangerous rituals whereby the Order tests the worth of those who would join it. The priests, by no means certain of a successful outcome, pray to the gods to assist Tamino and Papageno (Aria and Chorus: “O Isis und Osiris”). In the temple precincts, Tamino and Papageno are prepared by priests for their trials (The magic flute and glockenspiel have already been taken from them). Tamino is ready to face every ordeal, even at the price of his life. Papageno, the “natural man”, who wants nothing more than a little wife, takes a very dim view of trials and privations. The first of the three trials is to preserve silence, whatever happens …

What the liner notes would read had Mozart written Die Leveesbröke:

The LRA/GNOF/CSO assemble to hear Nagin give an explanation of his actions: the feds have ordained that New Orleans shall receive rebuilding funds; this union will ensure that the money owed the city will resist the destructive chaos that threatens at the hands of the Unholy Triumvirate: the Army Corps of Engineers, the Levee Board and City Hall. But before New Orleans can be accepted in the circle of civilized cities and receive said funding, it must undergo the difficult and progressively more daunting rituals whereby the system tests the worth of those who would fight for their home. The LRA/GNOF/CSO, by no means certain of a successful outcome, have Nagin pray to the gods to assist New Orleans and its people (Aria and Chorus: “Please Pray That A Hurricane Doesn’t Hit Us In The Next Three Weeks And The Levees Hold”). In the City Hall precincts, New Orleans is prepared by the LRA/GNOF/CSO for its trials (The old plans and levee board oversight have already been taken from them). New Orleans is ready to face every ordeal, even at the price of its sanity. However, the city gangs, the “natural man”, who want nothing more than to sell some crack, take a very dim view of trials and privations and decide to shoot up some rivals in their old ‘hoods. The first of the three trials is to preserve silence at the Pavilion of Two Sisters in City Park, no matter that this is the start of a “democratic process” …

Starring Nmon Ford as Nagin, Montserrat Caballé as Kathleen Blanco, Wolfgang Windgassen as Stephen Bingler and New Orleans as its colorful self.

September 29, 2006 | city planning, funny, government, music, new orleans, recovery | 8 Comments »

Day 396: Love This Life, Though You’ll Never Know Why

Ever since Katrina, the death of D’s mother a few months after that, and now with my grandmother’s passing, I’ve pondered the utter lemon that is life followed by death. What do I mean? You’re born, you do so much, make somewhat of a difference in your life, touch the lives of others, become a better or, at the least, older and experienced person, and then you die. Moksha, nirvana, karma, heaven and hell are all fine and dandy, but I want it and I want it now! You still don’t capisce? Follow along with what I wrote my friend, Joel, in reply to his condolences:

“You, of all people, being Jewish and terribly sensitive to these things, may recognize that it’s hard to observe the body’s decline. Those like you and me, steeped in the knowledge of our roots back to God, are so attached to family, stories, abilities and elders that, when they pass on, a living tenet of who you are, and I don’t mean a part of you, goes with them.

“My grandmother was so energetic, so talkative, so capable (crochet pieces she made me at the age of 90 with failing eyes sit here waiting to be framed) and so mighty. And the life graph plummeted in the last few months leading to her sudden death. Poof. Gone. Vanished.

“I can’t call after her with, ‘Wait, there are so many unanswered questions. Tell me more about Dad when he was a child. What did you like most about my Grandpa? What is your favorite color? Just talk to me some more.’ It’s so final, so stiflingly final, that even a download of her brain before death could not mirror the affection and affectations she infused in her stories. The way I sat at her feet and she rubbed the palm of my hand when imparting those tales, the pride I felt when she told me how much like my mother I look, the loving glances she gave my father … who records that? Where is the justice in the world losing that? Why are we made to love and attach, and equally fragile and mortal? Death is so bloody frustrating that way.”

Of course, as a Hindu and a Vedantin, my head-heart-soul complex understands impermanence. But, just because I get it doesn’t mean I have to like it. This is the portion of the program when I equally appreciate my attachment to people and yearn for my doctor brother’s clinical outlook on being and everythingness.

September 28, 2006 | family & friends, general | Comments Closed

Day 396: Announcing The Second World eBook Fair

Remember the 1st World eBook Fair from back in July?  From July 4th to August 4, 2006, users downloaded their selections from 1/3 million free eBooks.  Well, the second one is now here!

In the 90 days since The 1st World eBook Fair as many eBooks have been added as you can download from Google’s entire eBook collection first known as Google Print Library, and now as the Google Book Search, and more are on the way.

Three additional eBooks collections of between 100,000-200,000 are being created as we speak, though it is possible none will be ready for release during International Book Fair Month, the month of October.  However, they are on their way in certainty and when added to the current 400,000+ will create collections in excess of 2/3 million eBooks well ahead of this schedule of eLibrary growth schedule as announced last spring

No Long Waits . . . Bigger, Better, Faster, More: The 2nd World eBook Fair has purchased the biggest and fastest wire possible to insure that all visitors get a prompt service response time in both search engine results and downloads.  New software and hardware arrangements will keep search engine traffic and download traffic from interfering with each other, thus speeding up response time even further, as you can search for any author’s name, book title, or even quotations from the vast majority of the books and then download instantly.

In addition, 5,000 Mobile Books are available for cellphones.  Download away!

| books, computing & internet, project gutenberg, public domain | Comments Closed

Day 395: This Mortal Coil

“A man’s dying is more the survivors’ affair than his own.” – Thomas Mann

My father’s mother passed away in India last night and will be cremated early tomorrow morning.  It hasn’t been a year since his little brother’s death, so I worry about my dad’s state of mind.  Utterly useless to my family while in New Orleans, I remember my grandmother the only way I can, by writing about her:

Despite never having spent a substantial amount of time with her, I know Bhavani Patti (Grandma Bhavani) because I am her – she is the storyteller, writer, historian, people watcher and mocha-colored, Rubenesque pear-shaped woman in me. She was the inspiration for VatulNet and her death has kicked my rear into working harder on the genealogy portion of the site.

Patti’s children and grandchildren are almost everywhere in the world – India, Europe, Australia and the United States. Now, more than ever, is when we wish we could all miraculously converge in space and time to commiserate and grieve. But, time zones and logistics do not always militate in our favor.

… you may understand my chagrin at not having had or made the time to spend with the woman who created and raised my father, uncles and aunts. Yet, during this blink of a geological eye, I was privy to her company and advice whenever possible and grew a hearty appreciation for home and family. For that, I am grateful.

My grandmother went in the best of conditions – at 94, in her home, with minimal pain, surrounded by close family members and during an auspicious time of the year for us Hindus.

I love and miss you, Patti.

September 27, 2006 | desi / india, family & friends | 2 Comments »

Day 394: Ahem, Elections This Weekend!

Superdome During The Pre-Party

Forgive and celebrate with the Saints and their fans for they are justified, but the volume of heated conversation generated by football (especially the LSU and Tulane variety), as opposed to that on reconstruction and local government, makes me wonder about people’s inherent motivations. This is not to criticize the traffic garnered by sports, crime and sex talk on the local internet, but will the same number of people show up for Louisiana Election Day (Saturday, September 30, 2006) as they did for the circuses? I. D. Reilly of The Third Battle says,

“… this LSU/ESPN-related posting generated 61 comments in 48 hours? I was amazed at the interest in a sports-related post, and the lack of comments generated by recent New Orleans recovery-related posts. By the way folks, this is what our politicians and government agencies are hoping for, a distraction that takes the pressure off of their efforts, or realistically their lack of efforts, to acheive any real recovery for metro New Orleans.”

Well, this is what politicians and government agencies have hoped for since the dawn of the three Estates. I’ve already belabored the point in my most recent Metroblogging post. So, please just make sure to spend the next four days of post-Saints euphoria perusing the proposed amendments to the state constitution (ballots 1, 2 and 3, among others, are very critical to New Orleans). Don’t forget that there are humans running for office, too.

Go vote!

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Related posts:
* Da Po Blog: Jesus In Cleats
* WetBankGuide: Win, Lose Or Draw

September 26, 2006 | football, government, hurricane katrina, new orleans, photographs, recovery, we are not ok | 4 Comments »

Day 393: The Cradle Of Musical Culture

I lied, for I’ve made the time to watch the Saints on TV … in my black tank top with the gold fleur de lis on it. The sniffles began when The Goo Goo Dolls made a passionate case for New Orleans on WDSU, and they grew into all out tears when Irma Thomas sang the national anthem. Through his incessant supply of “you know,” Johnny Rzeznik managed to inform viewers that a lot remains to be done here, that New Orleans should be preserved with its spirit because it is the “cradle of musical culture,” and that the band will support this city on their website with videos of their visit here.

Holy Mother of Superdome, it hasn’t been a minute and a half and the Saints just scored a touchdown. They want it so badly, I can feel the desire through the little television over my computer.

Daaaaaamn, do I want to stay home and watch on TV while the city erupts? We are going to remember this game for the rest of our lives.

September 25, 2006 | football, music, new orleans, recovery | 11 Comments »
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