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Likeable characters with lives I might want to live vicariously

lollusc — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 17:38:30 -0800

I've been reading a lot of bleak books lately, often with antiheroes. Now I would like the opposite of that. I don't mind if some bad things happen, of course, or if there's conflict - usually that's kind of necessary for a good story. But I would like it if at least one of the main characters were someone I would want to be friends with. And if some of the stuff that they do or that happens in their lives makes me smile. I like mystery novels (esp "cosies" like Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Dorothy Sayers, but also e.g. Laurie R King, Ruth Rendell, Elizabeth George, Patricia Cornwell) some sci-fi (e.g. Iain Banks, Charles Stross, Neil Stephenson, Vernor Vinge, Dan Simmons) and otherwise mainly non-genre stuff. Not usually a fan of historical fiction, but I've read a few that I enjoyed. I rarely like fantasy (exceptions are Terry Pratchett, Charles Stross's Laundry series, Lois Bujold, Neil Gaiman), am not a fan of thrillers and I've never really met a romance novel I liked. "Chick-lit" is okay if a romance isn't the only plot point. Young adult fiction is fine too.

Bonus difficulty: I would like to borrow these books from my local library. It does get new books on a good schedule, so being recently published isn't a problem, but it is still quite small and doesn't tend to have little-known books. So things that have been popular in book clubs or at least where you know one or two other people who have read it are more likely to be available.

Help me join my generation or at least get more cultural references.

availablelight — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 06:06:52 -0800

This ranks up there with "non-anonymous embarrassing questions." If you wanted to feel hipper than someone today, here's your big chance. The last time I really listened to newly-produced rock music of any kind was somewhere between Casey Kasem and Nine Inch Nails. I don't even own a radio right now. I have an iTunes account....I use for free podcasts. How do the kids (and grownups) these days discover new artists, hear new songs, hear the latest bands? (I'm not talking about bubblegum pop or stereotypical top 40 music, necessarily). Especially if you don't already have your bearings or know what's out there or what you're looking for--Pitchfork is not a great starting point for this situation, neither are shows out in Brooklyn. Budget is relatively low (no Apple devices). Looking for specifics (i.e. not, I listen to radio and subscribe to podcasts and go to shows but, I listen to X radio channel and this podcast which is found X).

Next week maybe I'll hang my head in shame and ask about twitter and instagram.

Chinese music

crapmatic — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 20:06:21 -0800

Chinese pop music question. What is the background music in this video? It doesn't identify in Shazam or SoundHound. I looked through 50 pages of the YouTube comments and it's all a lot of arguing about HAARP and ice crystals, so I guess I'll need some help from Chinese MeFites. Thanks.

How would you describe Cutty Ranks to a deaf person?

Admiral Haddock — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:08:51 -0800

Is there a technical terminology that could describe different styles of popular singing, in the same way that linguists might describe accents? Try your hand at a couple of examples inside. One of my favorite albums from 2010 was Tennis's Cape Dory--check out the title track here. They have a very particular retro surf rock sound--partly due to the instrumentation and production--but in no small part due to Alaina Moore's singing.

Then, for instance, take dancehall like this Cutty Ranks track.

Two different styles of popular singing, but I have a hard time describing either. Tennis's retro sound seems characterized by the absence of any vocal flourishes, but that wouldn't be enough to give you an idea of how it sounds if I were just describing it. Similarly, dancehall seems like rhythmic monotones, but I assure you, if I were just to rhythmically intone the lyrics I would just sound like a crazy person.

If you were a linguist--or, perhaps, someone writing out sheet music--how would you notate these two styles of singing so that someone 200 years from now could now how it sounded?

I'm not just interested in these two examples--I'd love to be able to bring the same descriptive framework (if it exists) to other kinds of popular song.

Beautiful Afrikaans music albums

datarose — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 01:04:46 -0800

What are some beautiful Afrikaans-language music albums? I'm looking for modern popular music that is not too folksy or religious, in addition to more timeless songs. I have enjoyed certain songs from Laurika Rauch, Lianie May, Nianell, and Andriette, but I haven't yet found a whole album of Afrikaans music that I would enjoy listening to from start to finish. I love the style of Dutch singers Stef Bos and Pia Douwes. A Dutch or Afrikaans CD with classic songs and covers would be wonderful, but I'd also be pleased with a modern pop album, provided the lyrics are not too corny and it's not in the gospel vein. Do you have any suggestions?

How do I become more successful with children?

bradly — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:05:14 -0800

How do I become more successful or popular with children? I love kids, but I don't know how to act around them. I've noticed that some people are magnets for children and are really good at keeping their attention and interest. I love being around kids and as a child I had some great teachers who influenced my life in positive ways.

If context is important here, I'd like to do both teaching and volunteer work in the future. I'd also like to be able to interact and engage with the kids I encounter while going about my daily activities and at family gatherings, etc.

Are there any enlightening books on this subject? I've failed to find anything in my search. Maybe I'm asking the wrong question for my answer.

Thanks!

RSS feeds for Yahoo! News?

achmorrison — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 09:35:37 -0800

What happened to the RSS feeds for Yahoo! News most popular and most emailed stories? They worked up until about a month ago when the Yahoo! News site was redesigned. Now I can't find anyway to get these feeds. Is there an alternative? I'm open to about anything, but I liked the Yahoo! News most popular feeds since it seemed to distill all the news down to the most important stories of the day. (I realize that is subjective, but I don't have time to read all the news articles published daily.)

Thanks!

Why go to harness races?

brynnwood — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 05:42:05 -0800

Who goes to harness racing (a.k.a. horse buggies, trotters), and why? A friend compared it to speed walking, lots of activity but still pretty darned slow. Is it simply something else to bet on or is there something wonderful or at least interesting about the sport that I'm missing? I have to put myself in the position of people who enjoy this sport and want to understand what they get out of it--see, feel. Is it entertaining in its own way? How? Minus the speed of thoroughbreds, what's the appeal? Does it remind people of ancient Rome? Is it just so unusual that there's an enjoyable weird factor?
ANY light you can shed would be greatly appreciated.

Amazing Adventures - You know, for kids.

Guy_Inamonkeysuit — Mon, 16 May 2011 07:36:50 -0800

Rocket Boys? Kavalier and Clay? All Our Yesterdays... The Hive Mind has helped me with my short fiction before -- now I'm writing a book. It's a Young Adult novel set in 1935, based on a true story, in which my lead character gets involved with a rocket plane flight and discovers science fiction fandom... walk-ons include Fred Pohl, Isaac Asimov, and some well-known fans. I have loads of reference (Knight's The Futurians, Asimov's In Memory Yet Green, Merrill's Better to Have Loved, and Harry Warner' Jr's All Our Yesterdays) but want more.

I'd also like to read books like the one I am writing. (Twenty chapters in, now.) I thoroughly enjoyed Homer Hickam's Rocket Boys, about his youthful fascination with rockets. At the same time, while it wasn't strictly for kids, I loved The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, by Michael Chabon. What other books like these, about kids discovering science and/or popular culture, are around? Bonus points for Young Adult titles. (And yes, I already know about Heinlein's juveniles. But other books like those might work, as well.)

Greatest Karaoke Night of Your Life?

JaiMahodara — Fri, 06 May 2011 23:02:28 -0800

I'm making a piece on and of karaoke with an experimental theatre company. What are your top 5 karaoke tunes - spectators, performers, and KJ's? Google yields a great indistinguishable mash-up of 20 Most Common and 2,000,000 Worst, but I am not qualifying "top" with favoritism/hatred, frequency/obscurity, or quirky stories of specific performances, necessarily.

I Vahnt to be Ahlone

Kitty Stardust — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:54:16 -0800

Female introverts in popular culture? I see from reading previous threads here that this is a largely introverted group. I'm looking for examples in popular culture of women who are introverts. More recent examples are better. The best I could do after a few days of mulling it over are Emily Dickinson and Greta Garbo, but what I'm really looking for are more examples from film and fiction. I couldn't think of a single fictional character in recent history that was both female and introverted. Big bonus points for women who are identified or self-identify as loners.

Diss question

crossoverman — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 02:48:28 -0800

When did the word "diss" pass into popular/mainstream usage (either in the US or Australia)? From my memory, I think I started hearing it in rap songs and as slang in the early 90s (and, in fact, heard a song today - from 1990 - which used it) but when did it move from slang to more popular mainstream usage? I know I resisted using it for years, but I know it's part of my speech patterns now.

Popular science written by scientists?

IjonTichy — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:14:00 -0800

Recommend me some popular science written by practicing scientists. I'd like to find high-quality popularizations of science written by scientists (not science journalists) who are leaders in their field--books that deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Faraday's Chemical History of a Candle and Oliver Sacks' Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat.

pop music for classical musicians

onell — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 07:48:03 -0800

What popular music do classical musicians listen to? Sorry if this sounds ignorant, but I'm curious. I listen casually to a lot of classical music, and I was listening to Radiohead in the car the other day when I wondered this. It seems possible that classical musicians would have the same wide range of tastes in popular music as the rest of the general public. Or not? Are there particular bands that are favorites specifically among classical musicians? Which ones?

I'm good

bad grammar — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 16:51:12 -0800

Where does the colloquial English phrase "I'm good" come from, and has it suddenly exploded in popularity? I'm not languagehat, so I don't know if this locution is American, British (adopted in the United States), regional to the United States, and so forth.

It seems to mean "I'm okay, thank you," or "Everything's okay, don't bother." It is distinct from "I'm good at ____" or "good with ______".

I found already that the self-appointed guardians of language hate it as an ungrammatical locution.

It also seems to be something you now hear everywhere. I suppose it's a sign of the times, a stiff upper lip, as a way of stating "Things may not be good, but I'm coping, thank you."

It's less obviously trendy than the historically British "keep calm and carry on," which has become an annoying marketing trend used to sell posters, bags and other crap.

Fun, interesting books about psychology and sociology?

kylej — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 07:39:24 -0800

What are some interesting pop-psychology or pop-sociology books that I could read this summer? I'm not sure if I used the right terminology above, but what I'm looking for is something similar to Freakonomics, but which covers something relating to sociology or psychology rather than economics. Another example of the types of book I'm looking for is Queen Bees and Wannabes. Thank you for your help!

Don't drink the Kool Aid!

angiewriter — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 09:46:52 -0800

The phrases "Don't Drink the Kool Aid" or "Drinking the Kool Aid" are references to the 1978 cult mass-suicide in Jonestown, Guyana. Though the origin of the saying is awful and unfortunate, sometimes the current phrase as it is used now just fits the situation. What are some other widely used phrases in American culture that have their origin in an unfortunate historical event?

Religion's Greatest Hits

dontjumplarry — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 05:01:55 -0800

What was the world's largest religion before Christianity, and when did Christianity overtake it in size? I'm also interested in the world's most popular religions before the one before Christianity -- eg, Hinduism was the world's largest religion, until superseded by Buddhism, until superseded by the Roman religion, until superseded by Christianity. What was the progression of religion's heavy hitters? Largest = total number of believers worldwide.

How to compile WordPress author stats from a database

thelastenglishmajor — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 03:43:52 -0800

Where to find WordPress post view stats. I'm trying to write my first WordPress plugin. It's supposed to rank every blog author by how many hits they've received on their posts.

The working plan is to build on another plugin like "WordPress Popular Posts" that collects all this data for individual posts. The trouble is, I'm new to this and can't figure out where the stats are kept. How would I go about asking a database for this information, to work with?

Fugal writing in popular music?

archagon — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 17:30:58 -0800

Do any popular musicians (as opposed to art music composers) use fugal writing in their music? I'm looking for hardcore, Well-Tempered Clavier complexity, not simple 2-voice counterpoint.

Mocking School Lunch in the Movies

jacknose — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:09:04 -0800

When was the first time "school lunch" was ridiculed in a movie (most likely a teen flick) or a TV show? We're currently producing a documentary on school lunch, and we know that there was a cultural shift in how school lunch was perceived (great social achievement to grotesque laughingstock). If you can help us identify the first instance of this shift in popular culture, we'll give you a film credit.

I suspect it's Gen X, damn them.

Diablevert — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:06:00 -0800

When, exactly, did Halloween become so frickin' popular? I have the sense that over the past, say, 10 or 15 years, Halloween has become much more popular, to the point where it's now the 2nd-ranking holiday behind Christmas. Particularly, Halloween has become much more important to adults, to the point where most people in their 20s and 30s assume and plan that they'll have to come up with some kind of costume. Halloween now seems to have the rep of the "fun" holiday: as opposed to the irksome family obligations/religious associations with Christmas, Halloween is all about sex, candy, and a little light deviltry.

What I'm trying to figure out is, what caused this change? Has anyone studied this stuff? What were the markers of the shift? I can think of three things: The Simpsons, Rosanne, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. All circa the mid-90s.

Are there any ore such markers? Are they earlier? Is there any other evidence of the Halloween explosion? Can anyone, for instance, point me to a good source of stats on Sexy Nurse rentals?

Or am I just wrong and Halloween has always been this popular? I'm not saying that there was no such thing as a costume party before 1993, that's clearly not the case. But it does seem like Halloween used to be for kids and now it's not. Can anyone help me prove that?

Why is Nicholas so popular after 1977?

chiababe — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 09:29:00 -0800

Why was the name Nicholas suddenly so popular after 1977 in the US? In looking here and here (you might have to type the name in here because of the Java platform), I noticed the name Nicholas exploded in popularity around 1977. Was there something in pop culture that precipitated this?

What Is That Song They Always Use...?

jfrancis — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:23:09 -0800

What Is That Song They Always Use...? You know the one. I can't think of its name. It's the one they always use

When the vikings are killing everyone in slow motion
O Fortuna From Carmina Burana by Carl Orff

When it's a beautiful sunrise on the farm
?

When everybody runs around on the Benny Hill Show
Yakety Sax

When the other vikings are killing everyone in slow motion
Wagner - Die Walküre: "The Ride of the Valkyries" (Boulez)

When Howard Stern wants to stereotype Italians
Tarantella Napolitana

When a beautiful woman enters the scene and it's the 1980's
Yello - Oh Yeah (1985)

When Howard Stern wants to stereotype Chinese people
?? (I still want to know the name of the song)

So what are the songs I missed? And what are some other songs? You know the ones. They're the ones they always play...

Why do you have to go and make things so complicated?

Beardman — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:43:06 -0800

I like to gripe about Top 40 radio, but I don't have much of a technical music vocabulary. Are there names for the vocal styles of Avril Lavigne, Taylor Swift, et al.? Recently I found myself trying to articulate the particular way that these singers deliver lines, and I quickly ended up using unsatisfactory phenomenological language to describe it ("they, um, kind of curl their words in this irritating way...and it's kind of nasal and groany...does anybody know what I'm talking about?").

It got me thinking that I'd like to know more about the technical names for the vocal styles that are commonly used in the music they tend to play at my gym, in the grocery store, and so on. Avril and Taylor were the first to come to mind, but I'm interested in all of it, including, say, that heaving, ogre-ish singing in Nickelback. So: is there any go-to resource for this kind of information, or any informed criticism you can point me to? Or is it really as ineffable as my poor attempts to describe Avril Lavigne would suggest?

(Note: I realize that the most obvious thing to say about vocals in contemporary Top 40 is that they're autotuned to hell and back, but I'm asking about the styles of singing, not vocal production. So the fact that Nickelback typically builds a wall of sound out of vocal overdubs alone isn't what I'm after.)