Bruce Springsteen new albúm !

[Steven]

Hi Diane,

Very happy to know you enjoyed the festival/workshops. I don't recall ever having heard of "plaice" prior to
your using the word. The word "porridge" isn't used very often, nowadays, for oatmeal cereal in the U.S. Equally
antiquated is the word and dish: mush (comprised of cornmeal cooked with water, I think). Of
porridge... think there might have been a request for more of it, by one of the characters in a
Charles Dickens book. Will probably get to the act links tomorrow.

[Diane]

Steven I know the English we speak over here is antiquated, Dickensian and obscure to you, but I feel it is a good thing that we continue to attempt communication:-)

ps: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPyJPuY5xYA

[Steven]

Hi Diane,

Looks as if my post late last night may have gone way off its intended spirit and meaning, for
which I accept responsibilty. What is antiquated and Dickensian here doesn't imply any
impugnment of the same words as they are sometimes used in your part of the world.
Btw, if you ask for a "lift" here you wouldn't be directed to an elevator, but to an in-shoe
height adjuster or to someone who will take you in your car somewhere. The okay sign
that we use by placing thumb to index finger (with the rest of the fingers upwards), I've
heard, indicates something else altogether in some parts of the world. -- In some places,
it's a communication that the recipient is an orifice. We do very well, here, as we continue
to attempt communication. The power of friendship, goodwill and shared interests...

[Diane]

No, I read your post as straight as you intended it, and that's why I was amused. I enjoy differences in language and understanding. I like the way it bursts the egocentric bubble I live in. It amuses me that to you porridge conjures up visions of gruel in an English Victorian workhouse when to me it is an everyday word. I mean it really genuinely does amuse me (and even though I could have guessed that would be your perspective had I thought about it). Having to suddenly digest the fact that things are not as you assumed they were I suppose is the basis of a lot of humour and fascination.

So pl. continue to attempt communication in the sure knowledge that I do not think you are being an orifice, and that if I sound like one it is unintentional.

Best of wishes. Thanks for your cyber-friendship.

Diane

[Steven]

Hi Diane,

It is a good thing in communication when egocentric bubbles burst. Amusement is only one of the joys of
that taking place. I've attended global dialogue forums, where bursting those bubbles
is the aim. Just acknowledging an understanding of what you succeeded in communicating.

Got caught up on the links. Also now get the Supertramp breakfast connection and have learned of
kippers being a "traditional English food" (according to one source). Over here, smoked salmon or
lox isn't too unusual. Got to say that I've never heard anyone in the U.S. say they've prepared or eaten
porridge. Of antiquated and quaint usage of a word, here's one: "English." As used by
the Amish in the U.S., it refers to non-Amish, and does not imply that the non-Amish are from
England or the U.K. Lots of us English learned that as a result of watching the excellent movie,
"Witness," that came out years ago.

[Kush]

Hi Diane and Steven,

I have to admit I had never heard of plaice - at first I thought you had misspelled place - and also did not know that porridge was oatmeal. The Stephen Fry clip was very funny, I take it you never have biscuits with gravy then. I was thinking of a Springsteen line....

Hey, Eddie, can you lend me a few bucks
And tonight can you get us a lift
Gotta make it through the tunnel
Got a meeting with a man on the other side

....just doesnt sound right.

Diane I checked out some of the clips from your WOMAD experience...really enjoyed Ba Cissoko (although his other clips on youtube sound quite different) and Kamel El Harrachi, not so much the first one. I find the more traditional stuff difficult to get into but really like what is generally known as "afropop".
Actually just got back from a short vacation in the Bahamas....very stressful out there - golfing in the morning, partying on a boat in the evening, eating and drinking all day long. Even managed to listen to quite a bit of Live in London while driving along the coast. Its a tough life my friends!
And I have to admit discussing world politics and other events of great and cataclysmic proportions while sippin' pina colada and lying on the sand with ladies in bikini frolicking in the blue-green waters, is a far more enjoyable experience than doing so on a blank screen.
well goodnight - I have to work tomorrow but will make sure to have my porridge in the morning!

[Steven]

Hi Kush,

That Bahamas stint doesn't sound as if it were too arduous. Keep the feeling of being there with you.
Speaking of nice locales, saw a promo of Ken Burns' upcoming series on U.S. National Parks, the
other night on PBS. Beautiful cinematography, of course.

[Kush]

Hi Steven,

Re' Ken Burns: recently I picked up a compilation of Herbie Hancock from the Ken Burns Jazz series at a sale which I have not heard yet. I did not know he has a series on National Parks coming out - will check it out. I ought to watch PBS more instead of the junk late night talk shows.

[Steven]

Hi Kush,

A documentary on Woody Guthrie came on late at night recently on a local PBS station.
That kind of thing, the various Burns series, and some other good things (some concerts, etc.) --
make it worhtwhile to watch PBS for me. The departed pitch man, who shows up on late night
TV commercials, posthumously, still hawking products, is creeping out some people I know.
You won't find him on PBS.

[Diane]

Sorry to have taken so long to get back here - visitors are here from overseas so spare time has gone out the window...

I've attended global dialogue forums, where bursting those bubbles
is the aim.

Steven that sounds interesting. How does that work then?

Supertramp I'd not thought about in years until you brought up breakfast in America, but they were big here in the 70's. Lead singer Roger Hodgson here only for if you happen to be reading this with a broadband connection; don't think he would be your cup of tea. First number here is an old favourite of mine.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbd_RjP6EH0 /http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0xWJlOEsNs /http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxbwDWCsNkM

Kush your holiday sounds great:-)

Yes, Ba Cissoko sticks in my mind because he and his band were so accomplished and you couldn't pin them down as to genre of music and they were a lot of fun. Oh but Etran Finatawa were spell-binding. It was like being transported to the Sahara for an hour. Hand clapping along with strong multiple drum rhythms in the traditional way, and with the addition of an electric guitar just really does something for me. Also the singer, Bammo Angonla (guy with feathered head dress) has a highly captivating voice even though (or because) it's quite harsh. Equally captivating are his serious, deep, dark eyes.

Speaking of getting rides instead of lifts, Bruce requested an elevator when he fell over in Hyde Park after running up and down the stairs. We call an elevator a lift, too. But having been exposed to so much American media over the years, we mostly understand your lingo.

This plaice is dead as heaven on a Saturday night:

[Steven]

Hi Diane,

Hope you and those overseas visitors are having an enjoyable time.

Re: the dialogue, here's a website: http://www.awakeningmind.org .

The plaice looks like the fish prop that was used on Monty Python. Always liked that "Closing Time"
line. Read that line and the entire song as poetry once at a reading. Take care.

[Kush]

This plaice is dead as heaven on a Saturday night:

haha nice one!

one time I was in transit through Heathrow and asked for coffee at one of restaurants (one on the corner on the 2nd level i think main terminal) and it was pretty early, I guess I was expecting something on the lines of starbucks tall or venti size or a mug and all I got was this tiny cup with about 3/4th full. I gave a look at the server like "you must be kidding" but wisely did not pursue the matter further .

Oh but Etran Finatawa were spell-binding. It was like being transported to the Sahara for an hour.

Yes hearing and seeing live gives a broader context to the music, I think. Dont know about the transported to the Sahara bit.....these days that might mean finding the local Burger King or Pizza Hut in the middle of the Sahara!
Listening to Tell no Lies right now.....

Steven....PBS is gonna air Pete Seeger's 90th birthday celebrations sometime soon (with Springsteen, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, K Kristofferson ...all the usual suspects!). In fact, recently I caught a bit of LC's Live in London airing on it....in of all places, the Bahamas. last thing I was expecting out there. The man is everywhere these days.

[Steven]

Hi Kush,

Thanks for mentioning that PBS will air the Seeger birthday event. I'll try to keep an eye on the
local PBS schedule to see when it is broadcast here. Someone said that a local PBS station aired
Live in London at a really lousy hour. Hopefully, they'll rebroadcast it when more than insomniacs
can enjoy it.

[Kush]

Hi Steven,

Sorry looks like many of the showings are already over in August. Chicago is still to come on Sept. 10 and there are quite a number of them still TBA. But yeah best to check the local guides.

City Station Showings
Atlanta, GA GAPTV Aug 5, 9 pm; Aug 8, 10 pm
Baltimore, MD MDPTV Aug 2, 8:30 pm
Boston, MA WGBH Aug 1, 4 pm; Aug 2, 1:30 pm; Aug 6, 7:30 pm
Boston, MA WGBX Aug 4, 9 pm
Cleveland, OH WVIZ Aug 4, 9:30 pm
Dallas, TX KERA Aug 12, 8:30 pm
Denver, CO KRMA Aug 1, 2 pm
Detroit, MI WTVS Aug 1, 11:55 pm; Aug 15, 11 pm
Charlotte, NC WUNG TBA
Chicago, IL WTTW Sept 10, 7:30 pm
Hartord, CT CPTV TBA
Houston, TX KUHT TBA
Indianapolis, IN WFYI Aug 9, 9 pm
Los Angeles, CA KCET Aug 5, 8 pm
Miami, FL WPBT Aug 2, 9 pm
MPLS/St. Paul, MN TPT2/17 Aug 8, 7 pm; Aug 16, 6 pm
Nashville, TN WNPT Aug 8, 9 pm; Aug 10, 10:30 pm & midnight
New York, NY WNET July 30, 8 pm; Aug 2, 3 pm & 12:30 am
Orlando, FL WMFE Aug 2, 8 pm
Philadelphia, PA WHYY TBA
Phoenix, AZ KAET Aug 6, 7:30 pm
Pittsburgh, PA WQED TBA
Portland, OR KOPB TBA
Raleigh/Durham, NC WUNC TBA
Sacramento, CA KVIE Aug 2, 7 pm;
Sacramento, CA KVIEHD Aug 1, 8 pm; Aug 5, 9:30 pm
San Diego, CA KPBS Aug 5, 7 pm
San Francsico, CA KQED Aug 1, 7 pm; Aug 5, 8 pm
Seattle, WA KCTS Aug 8, 5 pm
St. Louis, MO KETC TBA
Tampa, FL WEDU Aug 2, 9 pm
Washington, DC WETA Aug 2, 9 pm; Aug 5, 11:30 pm

Stations have the option of airing a 90-minute version or a 120-minute version of Pete Seeger's 90th Birthday Celebration from Madison Square Garden; both have Springsteen's "The Ghost of Tom Joad" with Tom Morello, as well as the group performance of "This Land is Your Land." The longer version addds the group "Goodnight Irene" to close. Here's hoping we get to see all of Bruce's speech praising Pete, the real showstopper.

The concert benefitted Hudson River Sloop Clearwater; see their website for two videos shown at the Garden that night. A DVD of the concert, also to benefit Clearwater, is in the works; more here as we know it.
- July 29, 2009

[Steven]

Hi Kush,

I appreciate your having posted the list. Thanks.